Duterte hopes BOL will be ‘implemented right’

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte is keeping his fingers crossed that the newly-signed Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) will be “implemented right” and will pave the way for peace in Mindanao.

Duterte’s remark came a week after he signed last July 26 the BOL, a law that will establish a new Bangsamoro political entity to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

“Tapos ko ‘yang BBL (referring to BOL), whether it will be implemented right or not, that’s a story which we have to… it’s still unfolding,” Duterte said in his speech during the inauguration of the Northern Mindanao Wellness and Reintegration Center in Bukidnon on Friday.

“So we’ll just have to keep our fingers crossed and pray to God that Allah might want also to,” he added.

Duterte again reached out to Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founding chairman Nur Misuari, saying he “trusted” that the leader would not do anything “foolish.”

“Nur is just biding his time. I do not know his real intention. But ako (me) I trust that Nur would not do anything that’s foolish,” Duterte said.

“Alam naman niya na ako talaga, surrender ako (He knows I really surrender). I really want peace because even if we want — sabihin ko sa inyo (I tell you) that we are ready and you have everything in place. I do not want to wage a war against my own countrymen,” he added.

Malacañang earlier said Duterte will lead the “ceremonial reenactment of the signing” of the BOL since the President has already signed it.

The Chief Executive was expected to sign the BOL before delivering his State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July 23 but failed to do so.

Only the Senate was able to approve the bicameral report during that day.

The House of Representatives failed to ratify the landmark measure during the opening of the third regular session following a leadership shakeup where former president and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo replaced Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez as House Speaker.