Issue on new committee handling Bangsamoro law could delay its passage—Marcos
- Details
Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed apprehension Tuesday that the passage of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law might be delayed after the inclusion of a third committee to handle it was questioned on the floor.
The Senate was supposed to refer the bill to the committee on constitutional amendments, headed by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, to discuss the constitutional issues surrounding the BBL.
But acting Minority Floor Leader Vicente Sotto III questioned why a third committee has to be involved in the BBL.
He suggested that if the committee on peace and unification is done with its hearings, then one committee must already wind up its work so that the other committee can work with the committee on constitutional amendments.
The committee on local government, headed by Marcos, is the main panel handling the BBL. It is working together with the committee on justice and unification, headed by Senator Teofisto Guingona III.
The two committees have been fast-tracking public hearings about the BBL but two more hearings are scheduled for February 4 and 5 in Jolo and Zamboanga, respectively.
The committee headed by Santiago was supposed to conduct a parallel hearing on BBL this month so that all issues are resolved and the Senate could pass a doable and sustainable version soon before the session adjourns in March.
Because of Sotto’s inquiry, the floor decided to refer the matter to the committee on rules, headed by Majority Floor Leader Alan Peter Cayetano.
“I urged my colleagues in the committee on rules to resolve the contentious issue of referring the constitutional issues surrounding the Bangsamoro Basic Law to the committee on constitutional amendments immediately or face the risk of not meeting the Senate’s self-imposed deadline of passing the law by the first quarter of this year,” Marcos said.
He added that since the last session day is on March 18, he had to refer the constitutional questions to Senator Santiago’s committee so that both committees can hold parallel hearings for the sake of expediency.
Meanwhile, Senate President Franklin Drilon wanted the members of the 1986 Constitutional Commission (ConCom) to be invited to the hearings to weigh in on the constitutionality of the draft law intended to provide lasting and genuine peace and inclusive and social development in Mindanao.
“It is our belief that the framers of the 1987 Constitution are in the best position to assess the constitutionality of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law and determine its conformity to the vision, spirit and core principles of the Constitution they had penned nearly three decades ago,” he said.
Among the ConCom members,were former Chief Justice Hilario Davide, former Justice Adolfo Azcuna, former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Christian Monsod, Fr. Joaquin Bernas, and former Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento.
Drilon said that it is of utmost importance that their opinion and insights are seriously considered in the crafting of the BBL in order to ensure that no provision in the Constitution will be violated and that the law will be able to fulfill the vision and spirit of the Constitution’s provision on autonomous regions.
“We want to hear their views and direct us to the weak points of the draft law, and tell us how we can rectify them. They can guide us on what needs to be done to strengthen the law against abuses,” he said.
“Their insights and guidance is something we, legislators, need the most in order to perform our duties, most especially when it is about lasting and genuine peace and social and economic development for our brothers and sisters in Mindanao,” he added.
Drilon said the 1986 ConCom members have already expressed their interest in taking part in the crafting of the BBL, making it easier for the Senate to invite them to the hearing.