Gov’t hopes plebiscite for Bangsamoro will take place this year

MANILA, Philippines - The government is targeting to conduct a plebiscite for the new political entity to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao by the end of the year, President Aquino said yesterday.

Aquino also expressed confidence that the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) would be submitted to Congress soon.

The Bangsamoro Transition Authority will be formed if the residents of the “envisioned core territory” votes to ratify its creation.

In his State of the Nation Address on July 28, Aquino said: “If we are able to legislate the Bangsamoro Basic Law before the end of the year and conduct the necessary plebiscite, we will be able to give the Bangsamoro Transition Authority one and a half years to show positive change.”

“Should this be delayed, however, the period for proving that it was right to choose the path of peace will naturally be shortened,” the President said.

Aquino said he would meet with the government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front peace panels today to carefully study each section of the draft BBL so it would be passed into law in the soonest time possible.

The submission of the proposed BBL was delayed because of the review of provisions needing to be harmonized. Officials said they would have to ensure the draft bill would pass the scrutiny of Congress and other stakeholders.

Aquino said he was aware that people’s expectations were high with regard to the draft bill and the peace agreement as a whole.

He said there were no disagreements on the basic principles involved, but that “the devil is in the details.”

Aquino explained the challenge was to translate these basic principles into specifications in a law, which entailed more rigorous negotiations.

However, a number of things had been resolved and the process had moved forward significantly, the President said.

The military, for its part, will shift focus from internal security to territorial defense once the BBL is implemented.

Armed forces chief Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr. said they expect a smooth transition as the Marines are used to amphibious operations.

“The Marines will slowly transition towards territorial defense for the country,” Catapang said.

He said the transition would be done in phases and would concentrate on Batanes, Palawan, Tawi-Tawi and the West Philippine Sea area. – With Alexis Romero