No obstacles to signing of BOL: Palace

“It can be in Davao, it can be in Manila but there are no obstacles to the President signing the BOL now,” Roque said. (PNA photo)

MANILA — There are no obstacles preventing President Rodrigo R. Duterte from signing the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), Malacañang said on Thursday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque stressed that the Palace was merely deciding whether or not there should be a ceremony during the signing of the BOL.

“It’s a matter now really of whether or not we want a ceremony or we just want it signed but I think it deserves a ceremony but that’s just me speaking,” Roque said in a press briefing in Ipil, Zamboanga, Sibugay.

“It can be in Davao, it can be in Manila but there are no obstacles to the President signing the BOL now,” he added.

Roque, however, said that he has yet to find out if the Palace got formal communication about receiving the bicameral report from the House of Representatives (HoR) or Senate.

“I’m not sure if Palace has actually received formal communication from both houses of Congress,” Roque said.

On Monday, Duterte was supposed to sign the BOL before delivering his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) but it was only the Senate that was able to approve the bicameral report.

The House failed to ratify its bicameral report following a change in House speakership that saw Pampanga Rep.

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo replacing Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez.

A day after the SONA, the House ratified its BOL bicameral report as the first item completed on Arroyo’s agenda.

Duterte earlier sought for two days to sign to BOL once it reaches his office.

“When the approved version is transmitted [to] and received by my office… The law has been passed actually and I intend to… Give me 48 hours to sign it and ratify the law,” Duterte said.

The BOL seeks to create a new Bangsamoro political entity that would replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza earlier said that once Duterte signs the bill into a law, it will mark “a new beginning” for all Bangsamoro and a peaceful Mindanao and Philippines.

“When President Duterte approves and signs it into law, it will be a new beginning for all Bangsamoro and all citizens to work for a better and peaceful Mindanao and country,” Dureza said.