In real sense, what is contained in the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) is an expression of the right to self-determination (RSD) of the Moros and other inhabitants of the future Bangsamoro entity.
The members of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) came from and represented all the inhabitants of the Bangsamoro namely, five Tausog-Sama-Bangingi, three Maranaos, two members of the Indigenous peoples (IPs), two Maguindanao, one Iranon, and one Christian. Moreover, the BTC was not only constituted as part of agreements between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) particularly the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) and its four Annexes, but President Benigno Aquino III also had signed Executive Order No. 120 creating this 15-man Body. Immediately or simultaneously, both Houses of Congress passed their respective Resolutions in support of the FAB and the BTC.
Clearly and without doubt, the BBL is an expression of determination and freewill of all the peoples in the Bangsamoro. Wisdom and prudence, therefore, would tell us that the original text of the BBL, which we described as “Agreed Version”, should be preserved and adopted by Congress (of course, not unmindful of its plenary power over legislation).
Why call it an agreed version, because it had passed through several layers of deliberations and decision-makings: 1) the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) discussed and crafted the BBL, after engaging in hundreds of consultations with various stakeholders; 2) submitted to the Office of the President (OP), which made major revisions; transmitted it back to the BTC; 3) the BTC, overwhelmed by the revisions, elevated it to the GPH and MILF Peace Panels to resolve the issues; 4) the two peace panels meet for four days in Kuala Lumpur, two times in Manila and another in Davao City for ten days (August 1-10) with practically made no important headways; and from here 5) the Office of the President (OP) and the BTC-MILF Peace panel assumed the discussion. The OP was represented by no less than Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., Chief Legal Counsel Ben Caguioa, and three other lawyers, and on the side of the MILF, Mohagher Iqbal, Prof. Abhoud Syed Lingga, Commissioner Raisa Jajurie, and Mike Pasigan.
For two days (August 24 and 25), seven-hour each day, the two sides worked on to resolve the remaining 53 outstanding issues, which they did but seven which were deemed not in their level to settle. At this juncture, the proposed BBL was submitted to the President for review.
Finally in a meeting between MILF Chair Al Haj Murad Ebrahim and President Aquino in Malacanang in September 2014, every issue was settled, thus the BBL now presented to Congress is described as Agreed Version. To formalize the document, it was return to the BTC for formal adoption and signatures by the commissioners. However, only one, Johaira Wahab, did not sign it because she had resigned already to take her new post at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
Outsiders can help, which we welcome, but not to exercise that RSD in behalf of the peoples of the Bangsamoro. The help can be more welcomed if it is to improve and enhance the BBL. We look up to Congress to make this final act for peace in Mindanao!
http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/editorial/item/891-right-to-self-determination-expressed-in-bbl
Clearly and without doubt, the BBL is an expression of determination and freewill of all the peoples in the Bangsamoro. Wisdom and prudence, therefore, would tell us that the original text of the BBL, which we described as “Agreed Version”, should be preserved and adopted by Congress (of course, not unmindful of its plenary power over legislation).
Why call it an agreed version, because it had passed through several layers of deliberations and decision-makings: 1) the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) discussed and crafted the BBL, after engaging in hundreds of consultations with various stakeholders; 2) submitted to the Office of the President (OP), which made major revisions; transmitted it back to the BTC; 3) the BTC, overwhelmed by the revisions, elevated it to the GPH and MILF Peace Panels to resolve the issues; 4) the two peace panels meet for four days in Kuala Lumpur, two times in Manila and another in Davao City for ten days (August 1-10) with practically made no important headways; and from here 5) the Office of the President (OP) and the BTC-MILF Peace panel assumed the discussion. The OP was represented by no less than Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., Chief Legal Counsel Ben Caguioa, and three other lawyers, and on the side of the MILF, Mohagher Iqbal, Prof. Abhoud Syed Lingga, Commissioner Raisa Jajurie, and Mike Pasigan.
For two days (August 24 and 25), seven-hour each day, the two sides worked on to resolve the remaining 53 outstanding issues, which they did but seven which were deemed not in their level to settle. At this juncture, the proposed BBL was submitted to the President for review.
Finally in a meeting between MILF Chair Al Haj Murad Ebrahim and President Aquino in Malacanang in September 2014, every issue was settled, thus the BBL now presented to Congress is described as Agreed Version. To formalize the document, it was return to the BTC for formal adoption and signatures by the commissioners. However, only one, Johaira Wahab, did not sign it because she had resigned already to take her new post at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
Outsiders can help, which we welcome, but not to exercise that RSD in behalf of the peoples of the Bangsamoro. The help can be more welcomed if it is to improve and enhance the BBL. We look up to Congress to make this final act for peace in Mindanao!
http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/editorial/item/891-right-to-self-determination-expressed-in-bbl
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