Conscience vote seen at House on Bangsamoro law – SB

MANILA, Philippines – Members of the House of Representatives will vote according to their conscience if and when the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) is put up for approval in the chamber, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said yesterday.

Belmonte said he would not force the passage of the BBL, which continues to face stiff opposition in the House due to its numerous questionable provisions, out of respect for his colleagues’ varying opinions on the bill.

“I’m not going to talk to everybody for you to vote this way, that way, let everybody vote the way he wants to have it voted,” the Speaker said.

“In whatever form we can get it through to the stage of being voted on second reading, my only request – let’s go there. As for me, I want it to reach that point, a decision was done by this body and not just dribbling it around,” he added.

The BBL is the legal translation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro signed by the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, sealing their years of peace negotiations. If enacted, the BBL will be the legal basis for the creation of a new autonomous region in Mindanao.

The House earlier set December as the new deadline to pass the BBL even as proponents themselves were skeptical of the new timetable.

Belmonte said President Aquino would be displeased if lawmakers would not approve the BBL.

“He will be disappointed of course. I’m not even talking about approval because from my point of view, I just want it to reach the floor and be voted on,” Belmonte said.

Commission on Elections chairman Andres Bautista last week told House reporters at the sidelines of deliberations on the P3.002-trillion national budget for 2016 that the Comelec will face serious problems if the BBL is approved and a plebiscite needs to be held.

Bautista said the Comelec needs at least six months to prepare for the plebiscite on the BBL.