MANILA --  The Palace will continue to push for the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), no matter how difficult it is, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said on Monday.

“As much as it is difficult for us to appreciate why we need to fight for peace in this very emotional state, we need to fight for peace. We need to have a just and lasting peace, and that is what we are trying to achieve in the Bangsamoro Basic Law,” Lacierda said during a press briefing.

“This is a period of grief. It is a period of mourning. But there is no alternative to peace. It would be too costly for us,” he said, noting that nearly 120,000 people were killed in Mindanao from 1972 to 1996, while 982,000 were displaced in 2002 alone.

“Let the House of Representatives, let the Senate debate on the Bangsamoro Basic Law. Let us not lose sight of the fact that we are near there. Peace can be achieved but let us make sure that the peace is just and lasting,” he added.

Lacierda further said that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) must demonstrate their sincerity as the government’s partner in the peace process by returning the personal belongings and firearms of the 44 police commandos who died in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.