This time, Davao mayor warns Palace vs BBL rush

DAVAO Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is at it again––this time, warning

Malacañang against attempts to railroad the approval of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

Duterte, who once served as a national security consultant, said the proposed law would likely do more harm than good.

In a news statement, Duterte expressed alarm at the reference to the Tripoli Agreement, a treaty signed between the government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) under Nur Misuari in Tripoli, Libya during the Marcos years.

“We are now faced with a convoluted situation where the reference to the Tripoli Agreement in the BBL could lead to the question: Which would prevail, the BBL or the treaty which is the Tripoli Agreement?” he asked.

In the Tripoli Agreement of 1976, a total of 13 provinces were included in the areas of Moro autonomy, and these are: Basilan, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Lanao del Norte, Tawi-tawi, Lanao del Sur,  Zamboanga del Sur, Davao del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Palawan and Maguindanao.

In succeeding plebiscites, however, eight of the provinces––Sultan Kudarat, Lanao del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Davao del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, South Cotabato, North Cotabato and Palawan––refused to join the autonomous region.

“Does this mean that these eight provinces which earlier rejected their inclusion in the Moro autonomous region would now have to go through another plebiscite again to determine whether they would like to join the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region?” he asked.

Duterte warned President Aquino’s administration not to rush the approval of the BBL, “and in the process, create a chaotic situation in the future.”

“This early, we are already seeing signs that the peace which we have promised that Filipino people, especially those from Mindanao, may not come that easy,” he said.

Duterte cited the position of the sultanate of Sulu whose representatives have opposed the inclusion of the sultanate in the proposed Bangsamoro Autonomous Region. The representatives accused the MILF of betraying the sultanate by working closely with Malaysia.

The sultanate of Sulu is claiming ownership of Sabah, a portion of the island of Borneo––it was supposedly awarded to the sultan of Sulu following the latter’s help to the sultan of Brunei to quell an uprising.

“Let me repeat my warning that what is good for the Muslims of Central Mindanao, primarily the Maguindanaos, Maranaos, Iranuns and Kagans, may not be acceptable to the Tausugs, Yakans, and Samals. These are entirely two different Moro nations,” Duterte said.

He said the BBL should be thoroughly reviewed by the Senate so that the measure would ultimately result in peace and not another round of conflict in the Southern Philippines.

Duterte, who is advocating a shift to Federalism from the current Unitary Presidential form, has proposed the creation instead of two federal Moro states, one for the Muslims of the main island of Mindanao and the other for the Muslims in the islands southwest of the Philippines.