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Solons set target date for BBL passage
After PRRD’s meeting with Congressional Leaders where the BBL was discussed (Photo: Harry L. Roque/Facebook)
Lawmakers from the upper and lower chambers informed the President of their target date to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) in a recent meeting.
“Congressional Leaders: target date for BBL is May 30, 2018,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, Jr. wrote on Facebook.
According to the Facebook statuses of Roque, the President discussed the “urgency” of BBL with the Congressional leaders present in a March 13 meeting, namely, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, Senator Gringo Honasan, Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, Speaker of the House Pantaleon Alvarez, Majority Floor Leader Rodolfo Fariñas, Maguindanao 1st District Representative Bai Sema, Lanao Del Sur 2nd District Representative Jun Papandayan, Antipolo 2nd District Representative Romeo Acop, Tawi-Tawi Representative Ruby Sahali, and Pangasinan 5th District Representatie Amado Espino, Jr.
“We cannot fail on this (BBL). The next generation is counting on us,” Roque quoted Duterte as saying.
Duterte has been consistent in insisting the importance of BBL, as, according to him, war may ensue if it is not passed.
“Kung walang mangyayari nito sa BBL ngayon (If nothing will happen to BBL now) or we change the Constitution or do not change the Constitution at all, there will be war in Mindanao. I can assure you, mamili kayo (you have to choose),” President said in his speech during the launching of the Overseas Filipino Bank (OFBank) at the Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila earlier in January.
Back in November last year, the President also vowed to “correct historical injustice” through BBL.
(Read: Duterte vows to correct ‘historical injustice’ to preserve Filipino Republic)
“As far as I’m concerned, actually what is at stake here is the preservation of the Filipino Republic and to correct historical injustice,” he said.
Roque also posted an update saying that the Constitutional Commission (Con-com) headed by former Chief Justice Reynato Puno and formed by the President to study the proposals for the revision and amendment of the Constitution “can provide a template for BBL.”
