Duterte likely to sign BBL before SONA: Palace

“It is possible that it (signing) could be on Monday,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a regular Palace press briefing.(PCOO PHOTO)

MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte will possibly sign into law the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) before his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday (July 23), Malacañang said on Thursday.

The bicameral conference committee of the House of Representatives and the Senate approved on Wednesday the reconciled versions of the measure seen to end decades-long conflict in Mindanao.

“It is possible that it (signing) could be on Monday,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a regular Palace press briefing.

Roque thanked the lawmakers, as well as the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC), for approving the bicameral conference committee report of the BBL.

“Because they have already finished the bicameral conference on the BBL, our President can sign it before his SONA. I’m not sure when. Anytime now he can actually sign as soon as we receive the consolidated version of the proposed Republic Act that he will sign,” he explained.

Roque said both the House and the Senate can ratify the bicameral report when they meet separately on Monday morning to open the third regular session of the 17th Congress.

“The ratification will happen there. It can be done because it (BBL) was certified as urgent bill,” said Roque, a former lawmaker.

Under the final version, the BBL will be renamed the Organic Law for the Bangsamoro seeking to abolish the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and replace it with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

According to media reports, the new Bangsamoro region will be composed of Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Basilan, Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur plus six municipalities of Lanao del Norte and 39 barangays of North Cotabato.