BBL’s fate must be decided now — PNoy

From the Journal Online (Nov 23): BBL’s fate must be decided now — PNoy

WHY wait to decide the fate of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) until the next administration?

President Benigno S. Aquino III, who is obviously not giving up on the passage of the BBL, renewed his appeal to Congress to push for peace in Mindanao now and not delay it until the  next administration.

The BBL, the legal framework of the peace accord between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), is still pending approval both in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

“Ako I don’t want to risk it ‘di ba? Walang guarantee na next time, when we get around to it, nandyan pa rin ‘yung mga nagne-negotiate in good faith na talagang totoong—ito ang end point na gusto nila,” Aquino said in a coffee meeting with reporters on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The timeline on the enactment of a Bangsamoro law was obviously affected and moved owing to the January 25 massacre of 44 elite police forces by the MILF, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, and private armed groups.
   
Aquino said the BBL’s fate will be left hanging until after the next president assumes his position in June 30 and Congress opens session thereafter.
   
“And so many things might happen. And ulitin ko, are we sure that we will always have this combination of factors that has gotten us to the point that we really have a law that we are debating that can substantially change the situation?” said Aquino.

http://www.journal.com.ph/news/top-stories/bbl-s-fate-must-be-decided-now-pnoy