Draft of Bangsamoro Basic Law now with Presidential Legal Counsel, says Palace official

From the Philippine News Agency (May 5): Draft of Bangsamoro Basic Law now with Presidential Legal Counsel, says Palace official

The draft of the Bangsamoro Basic Law is with the Office of the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel, which is reviewing it before presenting it to President Benigno S. Aquino III, said Presidential Communication Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. on Monday.

“The draft Bangsamoro Basic Law prepared by the Bangsamoro Transition Committee is currently being reviewed by the legal team of the Office of the President and by the Office of the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel to determine propriety for inclusion in the legislative agenda of the President,” Coloma said during a press briefing.

“This review ensures meticulous and circumspect evaluation that each provision of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law conforms to the Constitution and the signed agreements,” he added.

He said there is a sense of urgency for the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law to be enacted into a law and submitting it to the House of Representatives is paramount.

“Binanggit na rin ito ng Pangulo na matatapos iyong pagsasabatas nito sa loob nitong taong ito para maidaos din iyong plebisito for referendum sa unang bahagi ng 2015, dahil kinakailangang magkaroon din ng transition na kapag naganap na ang pag-ratipika nito, magkakaroon ng Bangsamoro Transition Commission na papalit sa ARMM (Autonomous Region on Muslim Mindanao) na iphe-phase out for approximately one year of last period leading up to the 2016 elections,” Coloma explained.

Both Houses of Congress resumed sessions on Monday.

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