Lawmakers scared BBL will hurt them

From the Manila Standard Today (Jul 20): Lawmakers scared BBL will hurt them
 

THE biggest stumbling block to the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law is the lawmakers’ fears of losing the 2016 elections as more than 50 percent of their constituents reject the BBL, House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II said Sunday.

He told dzBB radio that the feedback from the House members revealed that at least 50 percent of their constituents were not in favor of the BBL and voting for the BBL would mean a “sure defeat.”

The strongest opposition against the BBL was coming from Mindanao, Gonzales said.

“Of course everybody wants to win in the elections,” he said.

“However, how can you win if more than 50 percent of your constituents are against the measure?”

But Gonzales said the House leadership was willing to compromise. He said the lawmakers seemed to have reconsidered their opposition to the BBL when the leadership agreed to scrap the opt-in provision.

He said from 33 on the list of interpellators, the number had decreased to around 15 when the opt-in provision was promised to be deleted.

He said Zamboanga City Rep. Celso Lobregat, a staunch anti-BBL, was equivalent to 10 House members. Majority of the lawmakers in Mindanao looked upon Lobregat as their symbol of opposition and spokesman of their grievances and position on the matter.

Gonzales said of all the priority measures, the BBL was the most controversial.

“Ang pinaka-controversial sa amin talaga is the BBL. Ito nga ay walang kinikilalang partido. Lalo na at magpa-file na ng COC [certificate of candidacy] in October,” he said.

“So among the Mindanaoans, the people’s sentiment is anti-BBL, doon magkakaroon ng difficulty yong mga members of the House from Mindanao,” Gonzales said.

“Unlike other measures that only need the signature of the President to become laws, or in the case of the national budget if it fails to pass, there is always a reenacted budget, the BBL had to undergo a plebiscite for it to finally become a law,” Gonzales said.

“The BBL is controversial kasi meron kang hinahabol na plebiscite, election nang magsisimula munang mamuno that will lead to the establishment of Bangsamoro autonomous region,” he said.

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2015/07/20/lawmakers-scared-bbl-will-hurt-them/