Grave reservation

Pat Diaz

GENERAL Santos City — A year ago, to the month, we wrote  “Bangsamoro: Fulfillment or Denial Anew?” The first of the series was published in Mindanews on Sept. 25, 2016; however, due to changing developments calling for revisions to update the commentary the last of the series was published on Dec. 5, 2016.

The commentary was on the prospect of establishing the Bangsamoro under the Duterte administration after it had been denied by the 16th Congress that failed to pass the BBL (Bangsamoro Basic Law) bill. President Rodrigo R. Duterte promised to fulfill what had been denied under Aquino, premised on a roadmap to resurrect and tend the BBL through the 17th Congress. By the end of 2016, there surfaced worrisome roadblocks to Duterte’s peace roadmap.

In that series and in subsequent articles, we discussed these roadblocks many of them the consequences of miscues, inconsistences of words and actions, procrastination, et cetera which could be attributed to the President himself. Last May 5, speaking to an assembly of police officers of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm), he said he was pessimistic about the Bangsamoro — that nothing would come out of peace process We sensed the President was asking why – with only himself to ask and only himself to answer.

On the following July 17, when the New BTC (Bangsamoro Transition Commission) submitted the new BBL Draft or Draft BBL 2017, the President renewed his assurance to the Moro Front leaders that he would “husband” the BBL – there must be a “Bangsamoro country”. Present at the turn-over were the Senate President and House Speaker. They joined the President in assuring the passage of the bill.

But words have remained words, empty of action. What have gone awry?

1. According to an earlier official statement, Draft BBL 2017 was to be submitted to the Congress immediately after the July 24 State of the Nation Address of the President; yet, it was not mentioned in the Sona. It was officially transmitted by PLLO (Presidential Legislative Liaison Office) to the Senate and the House on Aug. 14. However, as of Sept. 9 it had not been calendared for first reading in both the Senate and the House; no one would sponsor it.

What happened to the draft during the 28 days in the Office of the President? Was the copy transmitted officially to the Congress the same draft the New BTC had given to the President?

For a month now after the Draft had been officially transmitted to the Congress, no one would sponsor it. It has become a hot potato. Why?

That in action is the assurance of support from the President, Senate President and House Speaker.

2. The President did not certify the Draft as an urgent bill. According to the PLLO, the President will issue his certification after Draft BBL 2017 has been consolidated with the other BBL bills. As of this writing, three BBL bills have been filed and calendared for first reading — HB 0092 or Bangsamoro Basic Law, by Rep. Sandra Sema (June 30, 2016); HB 6121 or Basic Act for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, by Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (August 3, 2017); and HB 6263 or Bangsamoro Basic Law, by Lanao del Norte Rep. Mohamad Khalid Dimaporo (Aug. 24, 2017)

An urgent certification of Draft BBL 2017 would have been a signal to the Congress that it is the only bill the President would like the Congress to consider as the basic law for the “Bangsamoro country”. Of the PLLO statement: What is he “husbanding” – the BBL he has ordered drafted by Executive Order No. 08, s. 2016 or a diluted BBL?

3. Draft BBL 2017 was not among the 28 priority bills of the Duterte administration that the Ledac (Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council) released last Aug. 29. It will be included in the next Ledac meeting in mid-September, said Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella; Pimentel had told Mindanews it would be added to the Ledac list “per motion by PLLO”.

The President has assured not only once the Moros that BBL is a priority bill. Ledac says otherwise. Why is this so? The President has not certified Draft BBL 2017 as urgent to emphasize his assurance. Why?

4. Obviously, the non-inclusion of Draft BBL 2017 in the Ledac priority list raised serious apprehension among the Moros. Luwaran, the MILF Central Committee official website, in its Sept. 2 editorial, “Marawi crisis spill over”, noted this state of the Draft, expressed the MILF and MNLF frustrations over the failure of the government to comply with its commitments in the CAB and the 1996 FPA, and warned of “the spill over of the Marawi crisis [as] the natural consequence”. (to be continued)

(Patricio P. Diaz is the recipient of a “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the Titus Brandsma for his “commitment to education and public information to Mindanawons as journalist, educator and peace advocate. E-mail: patponcediaz@yahoo.com -Mindanews)