Valte: No pressure on MILF to accept gov’t version

From the Manila Bulletin (Jul 27): Valte: No pressure on MILF to accept gov’t version

The government is not forcing the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to accept its version of  the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) draft.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the government has always worked hand-in-hand with the MILF in pushing for a BBL.

The denial was prompted by an editorial posted on Luwaran, the official website of the MILF Central Committee on Information that stated: “Obviously, the government peace panel line is to let the MILF accept a version of the BBL that may be constitutional but will not solve the Bangsamoro question.”

“The MILF overall objective is ‘to end tyranny, restore dignity, and secure a bright and prosperous future for all in the Bangsamoro homeland. The current government proposals will not restore dignity to a people who suffered tyranny and will not secure a peaceful and prosperous future,” it added.

A review of the BBL by the Palace legal team showed provisions that went against the Constitution.  This reportedly stalled the process of transmitting the draft to Congress, delaying further the implementation of the Bangsamoro peace agreement.

Valte stressed the BBL draft should pass scrutiny of anyone who will contest its constitutionality.

DUE DILIGENCE

“Any bill we propose to Congress must be constitutional because our efforts will be put to naught if it will be challenged in the Supreme Court and deemed unconstitutional just because we were not able to execute due diligence properly,” Valte said.

“If it is true that we are forcing them to accept our version, we should have not engaged them in consultations and we could have just given them our version of the draft but clearly, we did not do that,” Valte added.

“This is the reason,” Valte explained, “President Aquino met with members of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) and the government peace panel to explain that he wants to push for this law and to advocate for this law with full conviction.”

The meeting was held Thursday in Malacañang. The government and the MILF signed the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) on March 27, 2014.

The President called on parties to “keep an open mind and limit potential challenges” to the proposed BBL.

The Aquino administration hopes to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law within President Aquino’s term in a bid to bring about a transition to the Bangsamoro political entity.

http://www.mb.com.ph/valte-no-pressure-on-milf-to-accept-govt-version/