PNoy: No war even if BBL is not approved

From Malaya Business Insight (Sep 9): PNoy: No war even if BBL is not approved

PRESIDENT Aquino yesterday said he does not foresee a resurgence of war in the proposed new Bangsamoro region if the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law is not passed by Congress.

He said Malacañang would continue to lobby with Congress to pass the law “during our watch and pass it at the earliest possible time.”

Aquino said while the BBL continues to be debated on in Congress, there would be spoilers who would try to sow conflict, or cause problems to derail peace and development in the region,

“I don’t submit to the premise that war will break out. I don’t think there is any interest from the major players to re-engage in a bloody conflict. Having said that, there will be the spoilers who will want to exploit the current difficulties to show that their avowed aims of gaining what they want through violent means is the only way to go about it,” he said during the forum, “Meet the Inquirer Multimedia,” in Makati City.

Congress has been tackling the measure since it was submitted by Malacañang in September last year. With Congress set to go on recess next month, lawmakers said they would exert efforts to pass the BBL, together with other priority measures like the 2016 proposed national budget.

The BBL will create the Bangsamoro region in Mindanao, as provided in the peace agreement that government signed with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in March last year.

The MILF has been warning about the passage of a “diluted” BBL. Both houses of Congress, at the committee level, have passed alternative versions to the Malacañang-drafted BBL.

The President reiterated that advocates of peace should remain strong and redouble their efforts to thwart any group which want to continue the “pointless conflict” in the area.

He also said that despite the absence of the BBL, the government continues to support “peace initiatives” and will continue engagement with the MILF and ensure the implementation of programs like the Sajahatra which aims to bring basic government services to the MILF communities.

In preparation for the new Bangsamoro region, Aquino issued a memorandum ordering the disbanding of private armed groups (PAGs) in the proposed new region and other parts of Mindanao.

Memorandum Circular No. 83 dated September 2 creates a national task force focused on disbanding PAGs in order to stabilize the security situation and address the problem of proliferation of weapons.

The disbandment of PAGS, along with the gradual decommissioning of weapons and combatants, are part of the peace agreement between government and the MILF.

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