By Hader Glang
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines
A lawmaker from a predominantly Christian city in the Philippines' Muslim south on Sunday rejected a call for the passage of a law which embodies the peace pact between the government and the one time largest rebel group without revisions, leaving it extremely unlikley to pass before the present president's term comes to an end.
Citing petitions filed by the Philippine Constitution Association and a house representative who has asked the Supreme Court to declare as unconstitutional the precursor 2012 Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro and 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, Congressman Celso Lobregat said he is conscientiously and diligently bringing up certain provisions that need to be amended.
"Definitely, it will not pass in its original form, impossible, impossible, there will be certain provisions changed but to have it pass at ease [is not possible]," Lobregat of the First District of Zamboanga City told local reporters at a news conference at his residence.
"I am for peace, I am not anti-peace but if we can pass a BBL [Bangsamoro Basic Law] that is constitutional then there is no problem," he said.
He added that there is still a long way to go because he has more than 100 planned amendments.
"If the BBL does not pass, the alternative is really to strengthen and enhance the present ARMM Law 9054. Not to abolish, not to repel but to strengthen the ARMM [Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao] Law," he continued.
Bangsamoro Basic Law legalizes the creation of a new region to replace the existing existing ARMM under the terms of a peace deal.
On Wednesday, a report on luwaran.com - the official website of one time rebel group the Moro Islamic Liberal Front (MILF) - said the 14-member Bangsamoro Transition Commission chaired by MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal had issued a resolution appealing to the members of the House of Representatives and Senate to pass the law in its original form.
The Commission was referring to House Bill No. 4994 and Senate Bill No. 2408 as sponsored in the lower and upper houses of Congress, respectively
It maintained that the original form of the bill is the “most appropriate version, and that the provisions of BBL are consistent "with the Framework and Comprehensive Agreement.
MILF chief negotiator Iqbal has underlined that his group "cannot accept a weak BBL," and wants one based on the version agreed bilaterally by the government and the MILF.
He has said they will reject a BBL that is different from the parameters of the Framework and Comprehensive Agreement.
Lobregat underlined Sunday what he called “gray areas” in the proposed BBL, concerning financial, wealth sharing, budget, block grant and power of Bangsamoro government that he would be questioning when Congress resumes deliberations on the BBL August 4.
"Energy, I already touched it [during previous deliberations]," Lobregat said.
"We will also be scrutinizing the P29 billion [$636 million] budget of the ARMM this year."
In the final State of the Nation Address (SONA) last Monday, President Benigno Aquino III - whose term ends ends June 20, 2016 - made his final pitch for the passage of the law.
Aquino, who wants to make the BBL his main legacy before he steps down from office, told senators and congressmen that time is running out for lasting peace in Mindanao.
Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, who chairs the Senate Committee on Local Government, had earlier maintained that Congress would not pass the proposed law.
