Do the right thing the right way

I JOIN the millions of Filipinos who oppose the BBL because it betrays the public trust, violates the Constitution, undermines national sovereignty and places public safety and internal security at grave risk. BBL is foreseen to spark more armed conflict in Muslim Mindanao based on the threats of war that we hear from aggrieved parties in Mindanao.

The BBL will be the nation’s undoing. It will inflict more violence and bloodshed because the peace process was poorly handled, not unlike the time of the MOA-AD, and could possibly lead to the country’s dismemberment at some point in the future. The country will be damned either way, whether the BBL is eventually signed into law or rejected.

Every Filipino seeks an enduring peace, but not one obtained furtively and ignores the red flags that could further fragment society, dismember the country and cause more bloodshed. The Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro and the Bangsamoro Basic Law (CAB-BBL), as originally submitted to Congress, should be stoutly opposed and rejected.

The Armm should be retained; its people re-trained and transformed to shed their feudalistic, clannish and revenge cultures that spawn social injustice and armed conflicts that, in turn, generate political crises and socioeconomic displacement. Firm law enforcement, education and pioneering investments by government must serve as the spearheads for long-term change.

We implore our people’s representatives, to do what is right for the sake of our people and the nation’s future. The Philippines is not for sale. It is our home; it is sacred territory of past, present and future Filipinos. It should not be bargained away for fallacious reasons or vested interests. We all must belong to One Nation, One Constitution, One Flag under One God.

Peace is everyone’s concern and responsibility. All sectors living within the conflicted area must want it and must be willing to work for it; energized by an inclusive, consultative and transparent process. Society and government must strive together to secure the nation’s future for present and future generations.