Impasse on Bangsamoro bill resolved after Duterte’s intervention

July 11, 2018

President Rodrigo Duterte is set to sign into law the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law before he delivers his third State of the Nation Address on July 23 after the impasse on the bicameral conference committee of Congress has been resolved through his intervention.

Duterte met Wednesday afternoon the senators and congressmen who are members of the bicameral committee in Malacanang to break the impasse.

"Pleased to announce that the President facilitated the passage of the BBL by convincing the two Houses of Congress to adopt the House version of the BBL, providing that the 6 municipalities of Lanao del Norte and the 39 barangays of North Cotabato could vote to join the BBL territory in a referendum to be conducted on the mother territory of the areas involved," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a text message to reporters.

"With the President’s intervention citing constitutional provisions and the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Umali, the passage of the BBL has been assured. PRRD (Duterte) will sign the BBL law before the SONA," he added.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the major proponent of the BBL, has expressed preference over the Senate version on the inclusion of the six municipalities in Lanao del Sur and 39 villages in North Cotabato in the envisioned Bangsamoro the moment the yes vote wins.

Under the House version, the inclusion of those areas in Bangsamoro should be based on the overall provincial votes, similar to what happened in the 2001 plebiscite.

Such areas failed to be part of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao because the no votes won at the provincial level.

The six municipalities in Lanao del Norte being eyed to be part of the Bangsamoro are the following: Baloi, Munai, Nunungan, Pantar, Tagoloan and Tangcal.

The villages in North Cotabato, on the other hand, include Dunguan, Lower Mingading, Tapodoc in Aleosan town;  Manarapan and Nasapian in Carmen;  Nanga-an, Simbuhay, and Sanggadong in Kabacan; Damatulan, Kadigasan, Kadingilan, Kapinpilan, Kudarangan, Central Labas, Malingao, Mudseng, Nabalawag, Olandang, Sambulawan, and Tugal in Midsayap; Lower Baguer, Balacayon, Buricain, Datu Binasing, Kadingilan, Matilac, Patot, and Lower Pangangkalan in Pigkawayan; and Bagoinged, Balatican, S. Balong, S. Balongis, Batulawan, Buliok, Gokotan, Kabasalan, Lagunde, Macabual, and Macasendeg in Pikit. Celerina Monte/DMS