Maxie backpedals, seeks ‘Concon’ to push federalism

By NITZ ARANCON
and LITO RULONA
Correspondents

IT took only one cue from a leader of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to make Abante Mindanao Rep. Maximo Rodriguez Jr. change his mind and take back everything that he said during a candidates’ forum on the prospects of Mindanao peace.

Now, he is for a constitutional convention to give federalism a push.

Rodriguez backpedaled, and said that if he wins in the May elections, he would no longer re-file a House bill that would create a Bangsamoro territory in Mindanao.

Rodriguez was among those who pushed for the passage of the Basic Law on  Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in the Lower House. Quorum problems however killed the proposal.

During the forum on Tuesday, the younger Rodriguez called the revised version of the proposed Bangsamoro law as the “best measure” to end the Mindanao conflict, and then announced that he would re-file it if he gets elected as a congressman again. Of the five candidates for congressman in the 2nd District, he was the only one who hailed the bill and said during the forum that he was in favor of the proposed Bangsamoro law.

But Rodriguez was singing to a different tune yesterday. He said he would not re-file the bill anymore after Bangsamoro Transition Commissioner Robert Alonto declared on Tuesday that the MILF rejects his version of the Bangsamoro law, and finds it unacceptable. Alonto said this while government peace panel chair Professor Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, and peace negotiators Senen Bacani and Melaño Ulama were listening.

Rodriguez said he was one with Alonto that a  federal form of government by way of a constitutional convention was needed. He also said there was a need for consultative meetings with stakeholders or those directly affected.