Speaker vows to pass BBL before congressional break

MANILA, Philippines — Barring any hitches, the House of Representatives will pass on third and final reading the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) on May 30, a day before Congress adjourns sine die on June 1.

“Definitely, yes. We would pass that before our sine die break,” Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez told reporters after a meeting with the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC), government peace panel and other stakeholders. 

House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas (Ilocos Norte) also gave assurance of the peace pact’s passage, although he wanted President Duterte to certify the bill as urgent – a requirement that Alvarez said he could give notice to Duterte.

A bill that has been certified urgent by Malacañang need not undergo the three-day layover rule between its passage on second reading and third reading. The House has yet to pass on third reading House Bill 6475 – Alvarez’s BBL version – before the end of the month. 

Malacañang said the President is ready to certify the bill as urgent once the House of Representatives and the Senate agree to fast-track the deliberation over the agreed version.

“The President promised to certify it. I cannot absolutely guarantee that the version of the House will be certified because I haven’t seen the text. But if it is in conformity with what was agreed upon, then there should be no problem. The President should certify it,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said yesterday.

A letter dated May 21 and signed by Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri requesting Duterte to certify Senate Bill 1717 was already sent.

Duterte declared in a previous speaking engagement that he wants Congress to pass BBL by May 30, saying the government is “racing against time” to enact the measure that could help keep the peace in war-torn Mindanao. Otherwise, he said he would be forced to “resign” out of embarrassment to Muslim officials.  

Both Alvarez and Fariñas, who presided over the meetings at the House, said the government panel and BTC members have requested for three more days to put some finishing touches on the possible amendments to the BBL provisions.  

Early last week, a joint House committee approved the proposed BBL that will provide an autonomous and separate Islamic state in Mindanao, where most of the Filipino-Muslims are living.   – With Christina Mendez, Paolo Romero, Janvic Mateo