MARADECA Statement on BBL drafting

The government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) should finish a draft Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) that Congress can tackle and legislate before the year ends-so that there will be time for its ratification and the ensuing Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA). This is the call advanced by Salic Ibrahim, Executive Director of Maranao Peoples Development Center (MARADECA).

The ongoing workshop of the government and MILF peace panels needs the support, not only of the civil society, as manifested by the Mindanao Peace Weavers, but more importantly, their respective principals. This means President Benigno Aquino III for the government and Chairman Murad Ibrahim for the MILF.

“Agreement of the principals on the important items taken up during this Davao workshop will help facilitate a process that will surely lead to desired Bangsamoro Basic Law for the government and the MILF,” Salic Ibrahim added.

“This method has been tested in the coming to terms of the government and the MILF in the case of the contentious wealth sharing annex of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB). This is the basis of the BBL.”

“We are calling on Pres. Aquino to be hands on in the processes taking place now in Davao, between the government and the MILF peace panels, as they strive to come up with a draft Bangsamoro Basic Law,” Ibrahim finally stressed. “This alone will ensure that the Bangsamoro regional government will come on time and not for another war in Mindanao to come instead.”