Bangsamoro law's final draft sent to Malacañang

COTABATO CITY – The final version of the draft Basic Bangsamoro Law (BBL) has been delivered to Malacañang on Tuesday, the communication group (ComGroup) of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) said Wednesday.

The BTC’s ComGroup said the draft BBL, signed by 12 of the 14 members of the BTC in Cotabato City on Easter Sunday, was personally brought to Malacañang by a member of the commission, Raissa Jadjurie.

The BBL is the enabling measure for the creation of a Bangsamoro political entity, based on the Mar. 27, 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro, the final peace deal between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Jadjurie was accompanied to Malacañang by the BTC’s executive director, Mike Pasigan.

The BTC’s ComGroup said the 97-page draft BBL was received by Assistant Michael Frederick Musngi of the Office of the Executive Secretary.

Malacañang will first review the 97-page draft BBL before if will be endorsed to Congress for enactment.

Once enacted, the BBL will be ratified through a plebiscite in the proposed Bangsamoro core territory, which includes the five provinces of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Once enacted and ratified, the BBL will replace the ARMM with an MILF-led Bangsamoro political entity.

MILF chif negotiator Muhaquer Iqbal, chairman of the BTC, personally delivered last April 14 the copies of the important parts of the BBL to Malacañang for President Benigno Aquino III's evaluation.