Mr Justin Morgan, Country Director of the Philippine-based Oxford Committee for Famine Relief (OXFAM), an international confederation of 17 organizations network in 94 countries and delegation visited the Office of Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) in
BTC
Chair Mohagher Iqbal, also Chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)
peace negotiating panel, some BTC Commissioners and their staff welcomed the
OXFAM delegation
The OXFAM
delegation’s visit aims to seek, explore issues and concerns on the current
status of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) that President Benigno Aquino III
submitted to congressional leaders in a ceremony held at Malacañan
Palace , Manila
Chairman
Iqbal admitted that passing a good BBL is difficult at this moment due to lack
of time and the advent of election period where lawmakers are busy for their
candidacy.
Iqbal said
the draft BBL crafted by the BTC no longer exist and was substituted by the
Basic Law for Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BL-BAR) authored by Senator
Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. in the House of Senate.
A heavily
diluted version of the BBL in the House of Representatives with similar name
(BLBAR) will be the subject of interpolations when congress resumes session
next month.
Iqbal
disclosed that “80% of the original BBL was deleted in the Marcos’ version of
BBL”, while essential provisions of the original draft were either deleted or
amended in the House version.
He also
cited two critical points; first is that the MILF will not accept a diluted or
bad BBL, and second, the change of administration in the government.
“We are
doing our best for the success of BBL during the current administration”, Iqbal
added.
Asked how
the BTC would deal with the fiasco and frustration on the ground due to the
possibility of congress passing a not good BBL, the MILF Chief negotiator said
that, “The MILF will continue to educate and advocate the importance of holding
the path of peace and to come up with initiatives and appropriate options for
the continuity of the peace process”.
Iqbal
further emphasized various possible scenarios, “having good BBL as the best
case scenario; no BBL is passed; and the worse scenario is if bad BBL is
passed; or when FAB and CAB are declared unconstitutional”.
Morgan
thanked the BTC for welcoming the group.
http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/new/item/641-oxfam-delegation-visits-btc-office
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