MILF: MPC appeals to Rodriguez to cease from making statements that preempt the decision of his Committee

Posted to the MILF Website (Apr 19): MPC appeals to Rodriguez to cease from making statements that preempt the decision of his Committee

In a media statement dated April 15, the Mindanao Peoples Caucus and its allied civil society organizations and grassroots communities appealed to Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, Chairman of the House Ad Hoc Committee on the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), to immediately cease from issuing statements over the media that will preempt the democratic processes in the legislative work on the proposed law. 

The Ad Hoc Committee on the Bangsamoro is yet to resume its hearings on the proposed legislation this coming April 20-30 and its very own chair is already undermining the process by pre-empting the votes of each and every member in the 75-member committee.

“All the proposed amendments including perceived constitutional issues are still subject to voting at the committee level. Rufus Rodriguez is just one vote there so he should stop talking to the media as if his legal opinion is already the vote of the committee”, said Pastor Reu Montecillo , co-chair of MPC, representing the Christian settlers in Mindanao.

“I am getting confused now with Rufus Rodriguez because he has been announcing that the BBL hearing is suspended because of the Mamasapano but here he is announcing to the media that some eight (8) provisions of the BBL will be removed due to constitutional issues. What is the basis for such statement? Until Rufus Rodriguez convenes his own committee and puts the BBL to voting, whatever opinion he has on the BBL is his own personal opinion only”, added Matigsalug chieftain, Bae Magdalena Suhat.

I believe that the media pronouncement of the Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee, Rufus Rodriguez is creating more confusions to the public and is disrespectful of the 75-members of the committee, she said further.

Mahdie Amella, Chairman of the MPC also lamented that what Rufus Rodruguez is doing is very disappointing for many of us from Mindanao who expect a lot from Rodriguez. “As a son of Mindanao and as representative from Cagayan de Oro City which pride itself as the City of Golden Friendship, Rodriguez is yet to demonstrate that he is a friend of peace and of the Bangsamoro. The least that he could do is to do his job as a lawmaker.”

If there are provisions that will not be approved by the 75-member committee --- then let the process take its democratic process. Rodrigues cannot play God with the BBL by suspending the committee hearing and impose conditions there that are not even demanded by Malacañan Palace and at the same time announce over media that this provision is deleted, removed or dead for sure. Please do your job in Congress by hearing the BBL. “If you do not like it, so be it but do not drag the name of the 75-member committee with you as if what you say over media is already the vote of the committee”, Amella concluded. 

http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/welcome/item/876-mpc-appeals-to-rodriguez-to-cease-from-making-statements-that-preempt-the-decision-of-his-committee