Moving the BOL forward

At this stage, there should be no doubt on the result of the plebiscite on the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) showing more than the majority of the residents have ratified their inclusion in the new expanded autonomous region in Mindanao. But more than the results of overwhelming “Yes” votes for the BOL, the real winner are the people of Mindanao for being part of this generally successful conduct of the just concluded plebiscite.

Now that it is virtually ratified, what lies ahead for the BOL? This we asked one of BOL’s principal authors, Senator Miguel “Migz” Zubiri and Director-General Oscar Albayalde of the Philippine National Police (PNP) during our Kapihan sa Manila Bay at Café Adriatico in Remedios Circle in Malate last Wednesday.

The BOL referendum sought to get the ratification of places previously under the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and other areas if they wish to join the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao or BARMM for short. Under Republic Act (RA) 11054, or the Organic Law on Bangsamoro, the BARMM will have its own system of governance led by a Chief Minister who heads the 80-man parliament and a ceremonial “Walee” to convene and close the legislative body; expanded land and water jurisdiction, fiscal autonomy, and increased share in national government resources, among others.   

The creation of the BARMM was the key feature of the BOL implementing the provisions of the peace agreement entered into by the previous administration of former president Benigno Simeon “PNoy” Aquino III. When the PNoy administration took over, he resumed the stalled peace negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) led by its new chairman Al Haj Murad.

Citing the ARMM as a “failed experiment,” PNoy pushed in the previous Congress the passage into law of the Basic Bangsamoro Law (BBL) as called for in the peace pact with the MILF. However, the intervening events triggered by the infamous Maguindanao massacre of 44 government troopers led to the downfall of the BBL.

When former Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte won the May 2016 presidential elections, he resumed the peace pact with the MILF. President Duterte got his administration allies led by fellow Mindanaoans like Zubiri in the 17th Congress to work for the immediate passage into law of the BOL. 

Actually, this is the third time the ARMM underwent a plebiscite on laws that sought to expand its covered provinces. The first time was to implement the September 1996 peace agreement with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) led by erstwhile chairman Nur Misuari during the administration of former president Fidel Ramos.

However, the peace pact did not please a faction of the MNLF led by the late Hashim Salamat who split from Misuari and formed the MILF breakaway group. To bring in the MILF, a second plebiscite of the ARMM Law took place and it increased its coverage to five provinces, namely, Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-tawi.

Describing the conduct of the recent BOL plebiscite as “uneventful,” the PNP chief heaved a big sigh of relief that it was done and over with. It was under Albayalde’s leadership that steered the PNP in their primary task of keeping peace and order during the holding of the BOL referendum in and around the polling precincts while elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines took care of the security outside of the voting areas.

Except for isolated breakout of violent incidents, Sen. Zubiri and Albayalde both noted with satisfaction the BOL plebiscite that took place last Monday with the full participation of voters included in the expanded BARMM.

The two officials were elated to see no less than the MILF chairman leading his men among those who cast their “Yes” votes. The MILF’s participation, the PNP chief cited, set the tone of the generally peaceful conduct of the just concluded plebiscite.

On the part of Christians, Zubiri lauded retired Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Cardinal Quevedo who “fearlessly” campaigned for the ratification of the BOL. Zubiri credited Bishop Quevedo for tirelessly supporting the government’s peace process through the years of negotiations with both the MILF and the MNLF. The 79-year-old Bishop, who retired in November last year, headed the archdiocese of Cotabato for 20 years.

Two days after the BOL plebiscite, Sen. Zubiri shared with us at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay breakfast news forum partial and unofficial results he gathered from the various provincial boards of canvassers. As of this writing, the National Board of Canvassers of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) finally convened and started the canvassing of the BOL plebiscite at the head office in Intramuros, Manila.

Initial reports, Zubiri cited, point to “overwhelming Yes” votes in favor of ratifying the BOL, except for two places. He rued the “No” votes prevailed in Sulu and in the chartered city of Isabela in Basilan.  

In October last year, the Sulu provincial government, led by Governor Abdusakur Tan II questioned the BOL’s legality before the Supreme Court (SC), arguing the 17th Congress committed grave abuse of discretion.

The SC did not issue any temporary restraining order. Thus, the BOL plebiscite went on as scheduled. The High Court has yet to rule on this petition but set the oral arguments next month after the next round of plebiscite that will take place in Lanao del Norte, except Iligan City, and 39 barangays from North Cotabato on Feb. 6.

By which time it would be a done deal already with the most probable ratification of the BOL.

Although a majority voted “No” on the BOL, Sulu will remain under the BARMM. Incidentally, Sulu is the home province of Misuari. President Duterte vowed to reach out to Misuari whom Zubiri is recommending to be appointed as “Walee” of the BARMM.

As envisioned, the BOL would hopefully bring about enduring peace, development and progress in southern Philippines. Moving on forward the BOL, Zubiri believes the soon-to-be created BARMM would not be another “failed experiment” like its ARMM predecessor.