Binay vows passage of Bangsamoro law

TALAYAN, Maguindanao, Philippines – United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) standard-bearer Vice President Jejomar Binay vowed to prioritize the passage of a Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) if he is elected in May.

Binay did not elaborate if he would push through with the current form of the BBL that has stalled in Congress. 

“We will continue that. They did not finish it. That was a problem because it was not approved,” he said in Filipino. 

Binay held campaign sorties in South Cotabato, Maguindanao and Cotabato City on Tuesday and yesterday. 

In a speech during the proclamation rally of local UNA candidates in Maguindanao, Binay promised to build a Malacañang in the south so he could be closer to his constituents in Mindanao.

He stressed the need to provide equal support to all Filipinos, particularly those in the south, whom he said has been neglected by the current administration. 

Meanwhile, UNA spokesman Mon Ilagan said the Office of the Ombudsman is pulling all the stops in prosecuting local officials allied with Binay to prevent them from helping in his campaign.

Ilagan issued the statement following the filing of graft charges against re-electionist Rep. Gwen Garcia of Cebu in connection with the construction of the Cebu International Convention Center in 2006.

The ombudsman also affirmed the graft case against former Laguna governor ER Ejercito for approving the insurance coverage for Pagsanjan boatmen in 2008.

On Tuesday, the ombudsman indicted former Special Action Force commander and UNA senatorial bet Getulio Napeñas in connection with last year’s Mamasapano massacre.

Ilagan criticized Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales for allegedly harassing the opposition by filing cases against Binay’s allies.

He said the agenda is to derail the campaign of Garcia and Ejercito, who are supporters of Binay, in their respective vote-rich hometowns.

Honasan on drug problem

Binay’s runningmate Sen. Gringo Honasan expressed belief that unless poverty is eradicated, it would take 600 years to wipe out the country’s problem on illegal drugs and other crimes.

Honasan was reacting to the statement of presidential aspirant and Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte that he would stop crime and drugs within six months should he win the May elections. The senator, whose ratings in surveys for vice presidential candidates have been consistently low, has three more years in the Senate should he lose his bid.

He said he has been supporting a bill that seeks to amend the anti-drugs act, including the creation of special courts for drug cases and the merger of all anti-drug agencies under the Office of the President. – With Helen Flores, Ding Cervantes