GPH, MILF, not giving up on BBL — GPH legal team

ILIGAN CITY – Despite the challenges in the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) in Congress, the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) remain resolute in pursuing the Bangsamoro peace process, a member of the legal team of the GPH peace panel saidThursday.

“Even if we experience difficult challenges in pursuing the passage of the BBL, both parties … (will pursue) this peace process,” said GPH Peace Panel Legal Team member Atty. Al Julkipli. “No one is giving up. Both parties are still working towards achieving the objectives of the peace process, which is to pass a meaningful BBL that (will) address the two main problems (of keeping security and improving governance) in Mindanao.”

“If these two problems would be significantly addressed, (we believe) the entire Philippines would ultimately benefit.”

“That is why we are still continuously coordinating and lobbying with the legislators. We are always ready to provide our support and technical assistance in defense of and in explaining the contents of the BBL in its original form,” said Julkipli.

Passage of the BBL still possible

In a succeeding event the following day, Julkipli told a multisectoral audience in the provincial capitol of Lanao del Sur in Marawi City that the BBL could still be passed by Congress despite the limited time remaining before it adjourns for the election campaign.

“We continue to trust the wisdom of Congress in passing the BBL into law before it adjourns,” he said. “We also continue to urge everybody to continue supporting the peace process, to not give up, to lobby with our congressmen in support of the BBL. We have to be able to make our voices be heard directly from the people,” Julkipli added.

Cagayan de Oro City Representative and Ad Hoc Committee on the BBL Chairman Rufus Rodriguez, meanwhile, made proclamations today that the House had set the voting on the bill on 27 January. “We have set the voting on Wednesday. As long as we have a quorum, the voting will push through.”

Julkipli also emphasized that regardless of what happens to the BBL, “[w]e should remain calm. We should approach this in the most active and most passionate way, in the most peaceful way that we can.”

Julkipli was in Iligan City and Marawi City as part of a series of information and communication activities on the BBL being conducted by the Philippine Information Agency in key areas in Northern Mindanao from January 20 to January 24, 2016. ###