More Aquino allies threaten to junk BBL

From the Manila Standard Today (Jan 31): More Aquino allies threaten to junk BBL

DENOUNCING the government’s lack of indignation over the killing of 44 police commandos by Muslim rebels, 43 administration allies in Congress are threatening to withdraw their support for the Bangsamoro Basic Law, prompting President Benigno Aquino III to reconvene the crisis management committee to save the peace deal.

A highly placed Palace source told the Manila Standard that the President ordered Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. to “recall the Samar group to clean up the mess.”

In the House, the 42-strong Visayas bloc led by Bacolod Rep. Albee Benitez decided to make a stand as a group. Pangasinan Rep. Kimi Cojuangco also gave an emphatic “No to BBL” after she learned that ongoing talks in Malaysia were considering an amnesty for those who were behind the Jan. 25 Mamasapano massacre.

“The President is worried that the peace deal will not push through following the withdrawal of authors in the Senate. Now, he has to contend with the House members,” the source told the Manila Standard.

In the Senate, Senators JV Ejercito and Alan Peter Cayetano withdrew their authorship of the BBL.

“Malacañang is frantic. They started calling back people – political strategists and legislative liaisons – to remedy the looming crisis with President Aquino headed for a head-on collision course with the House and Senate over BBL,” the source said.

The source said Ochoa was finding it difficult to reconstitute the crisis management committee because those who were being called back have said “the 44 deaths was the last nail that could make the peace talks collapse.”

The independent minority bloc in the House led by Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez on Friday added pressure on the Palace to exact justice for the dead policemen.

Romualdez said five of the 44 SAF troopers were from the Eastern Visayas, where he is from.

“It is difficult to talk about peace then see our law enforcers massacred. I urge the government to conduct a sincere and thorough investigation on this horrifying incident.
The families demand justice. We support this call. This is the least we can do for men who have given their lives for the country,” Romualdez said.

“There are no words to convey the sadness and grief I feel for the loss of our brothers from the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force who were brutally massacred in the line of duty as they valiantly attempted to arrest two terrorists responsible for many senseless deaths,” Romualdez added.

Even the members of the ruling Liberal Party expressed concern over the constitutionality of the BBL.

Most of the 42 Visayas lawmakers were members of the President’s Liberal Party, which has 111 members.

Benitez and Cojuangco belong to the Nationalist People’s Coalition, which controls 39 seats.

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2015/01/31/more-aquino-allies-threaten-to-junk-bbl/