BBL hearings suspended; Rep. Gonzales says that's tantamount to killing it

From InterAksyon (Feb 9): BBL hearings suspended; Rep. Gonzales says that's tantamount to killing it



Rep. Neptali Gonzales, file photograph by Lira Fernandez

The adhoc committee at the House of Representatives on Monday announced it was suspending deliberations on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), to first await the result of the legislature's inquiry into the bloody rout of the Philippine National Police's Special Action Forces in the January 25 Mamasapano clash.

Cagayan de Oro Representative Rufus Rodriguez, chairperson of the panel, said the decision was reached by the members of the committee as the House prepared to begin its inquiry this Wednesday.

But a leader of the chamber said putting on hold the BBL deliberations was tantamount to killing the bill.

"Some people have become emotional, losing focus on the necessity of the BBL. Suspending deliberations to await the result of the House probe is effectively killing the bill," Majority Floor Leader Neptali Gonzales II said in a phone interview.

"It's okay to suspend it for a week, but to say you won't deliberate on it to await the outcome of the probe is not a justifiable reason," he added.

Gonzales said he had advised the ad hoc committee to "continue doing its work" and "let the committee on public order and safety take cognizance of its jurisdiction on investigating the incident."

With the suspension of hearings on BBL, Gonzales said, it would be now impossible to meet the March target for the bill's approval.

The January 25 clash between the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) resulted in the death of 44 Special Action Force commandos, spawning apprehensions and bringing out expressions of uncertainty on the fate of the peace process.

Rodriguez has said that more than 50 percent of the bill have been discussed by the 75-member committee, except for four key issues, including the creation of a separate police force for the new Bangsamoro entity.

On Wednesday, the House committee on public order will begin its inquiry into the clash. The Senate started its probe on Monday.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/104702/bbl-hearings-suspended-rep--gonzales-says-thats-tantamount-to-killing-it