On BBL passage, situation is different from before: Palace

July 26, 2017

Malacanang expressed optimism on Wednesday the new draft of the Bangsamoro Basic Law would pass Congress despite similarities in some provisions from the first draft which the lawmakers rejected during the previous administration. In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said circumstances have changed in Congress as well as the situation on the ground. "I believe circumstances have changed in the Senate. And the Congress understands the situation at hand on the ground. And I believe that they will concur, that they will understand the situation," he said. According to Mohagher Iqbal, Moro Islamic Liberation Front Peace Implementing chair, the new BBL draft which the Bangsamoro Transition Commission submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte earlier was a 20 to 30 percent improvement from the previous draft, which was not approved in the 16th Congress. Abella said Duterte has the authority to continue dealing with the MILF, a revolutionary organization. He said the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, which the Philippine government and the MILF signed during the Aquino administration, and the draft BBL had been formed through hundreds of consultations with various stakeholders. "In other words, the nature of their engagement --- our engagement with the MILF was due to the situation at hand," he said. (Celerina Monte/DMS)