MILF wants BBL passage before shift to federalism

DAVAO CITY — The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) wants the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) to be enacted first before the incoming administration pursues efforts to change the type of government from unitary to federal.

 

MILF vice chairman for political affairs Ghadzali Jaafar said it might take time before their peace agreement with the government is implemented if the establishment of the Bangsamoro government is subsumed by the planned shift to federalism.

 

“What we want, as far as we’re concerned, is to implement the Bangsamoro government first before federalism,” Jaafar said in a chance interview Tuesday here.

 

“We believe it would be better if the Bangsamoro government is implemented first. The implementation of a federal government, in case it is approved by the Bangsamoro people, will take longer because the Congress of the Philippines still has to work it out,” he added.

 

Jaafar also believes that the BBL should be a legislation separate from that which would establish federalism.  

 

“Naturally, the BBL should become a law. The Bangsamoro (government) cannot be implemented without a law,” he said.

 

Jaafar, nevertheless, remains optimistic that the BBL would be enacted under the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte, the first chief executive from Mindanao.

 

The proposed BBL seeks to form a new Bangsamoro region with enhanced economic and political powers. The legislation would implement the final peace agreement signed by the government and the MILF in 2014. The measure was bypassed by the 16th Congress despite being a priority of the Aquino administration.

 

Federalism involves the sharing of powers between the central government and local state governments, a set-up that its supporters believe would promote development outside Metro Manila. The system would allow local state governments to levy taxes, implement business regulations build infrastructure and establish courts, among other powers.

 

Last month, Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez said the incoming Congress would not tackle the BBL because it would be subsumed by the plan to change the form of government to federalism, one of the priorities of the Duterte administration.

 

Alvarez, Duterte’s choice for House speaker said the BBL would have to give way for federalism “because they are the same concept.”

 

Jaafar believes Alvarez’s statements are personal and do not reflect the official stand of the Duterte administration. He said the delay in the implementation of the Bangsamoro government could yield negative reactions.

 

“You know, Bangsamoro people have been waiting for so long. Many of them are frustrated because of the resolution of the Bangsamoro issue is taking so long despite the agreement,” Jaafar said.

 

The MILF official believes the recent violent incidents may have been borne out of the frustration of some groups who are waiting for the peaceful resolution of the Bangsamoro issue.

 

When asked if he thinks violence would erupt if the BBL is not passed, Jaafar said: “I’m not saying that. But I believe that it is one of the motivations of some people who are sowing violence.”

 

Jaafar admitted that the Bangsamoro people are disappointed with the non-passage of the BBL under the Aquino administration.

Jaafar also revealed that his group is talking to the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) to come up with a unified stand on the Bangsamoro government.

 

“I am very optimistic that eventually, we can come out with a common approach in order to address the Bangsamoro issue,” he said.

 

Jaafar said the MILF and the MNLF would look into the provisions of the final peace agreement including the territories to be covered by the Bangsamoro political entity.

 

He noted that under the Tripoli Agreement, which paved way to a peace deal between the government and the MNLF, the entity covers 13 provinces. The Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro signed by the government and the MILF, meanwhile, involves five provinces.

 

“We can come up with a solution to this issue. There are other issues which I don’t want to take up in public,” Jaafar said.

 

He added that their efforts would also involve the improvement of the proposed BBL.

 

“This is very important because if a law approved by the Congress of the Philippines is acceptable to everybody, every leader of the Bangsamoro, this assures (us of) the support of every group to the Bangsamoro government and this is very important to the success of the future Bangsamoro government,” he said.

 

When asked if it would also mean submitting a new BBL draft, Jaafar said: “That is not impossible to happen. It all depends on the agreement what we reach.”

 

Jaafar said his group has also sent a delegation to MNLF founder Nur Misuari, who is now facing rebellion charges in relation to the 2013 Zamboanga siege.

 

“He (Misuari) received that delegation and he was happy. I think his reaction to the visit of our delegation was very hopeful,” he said.