MALACAÑANG conceded on Friday that the controversial Bangsamoro Basic Law may not pass Congress before President Benigno Aquino III steps down from office on June 30 because Congress will already be adjourning next week.
But Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the Palace believes the peace process will not have to go back to zero even if the BBL is not passed with Aquino’s term.
“What we have started should be continued so that we will finally achieved the objective of the peace process,” Coloma said.
He said Aquino is determined to pursue peace process will stay whatever the results of the BBL in the House of Representative and Senate.
“The President will continue in convincing every sector and stakeholders of society to give peace a chance,” Coloma said.
Coloma encouraged all the stakeholders should maintain the desire to achieve peace by respecting each other at all times.
“Whatever is the final outcome of the proposed BBL, the government’s determination will not falter in pursuing the peace process and in persuading the stakeholders to give peace a chance,” Coloma said.
As Congress will adjourn by next week for the election campaign season, lawmakers are holding on to the faintest hope that the BBL will be passed during the Aquino administration.
However, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said there is no more possibility that the law will be passed under the current administration.
The Bangsamoro bill, now called the proposed Basic Law on the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, seeks to formalize the creation of a new political entity that will replace the existing Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Even the Moro Islamic Liberation Front admitted that the BBL may not pass during Aquino’s term, but the group vowed to pursue the path of peace even if the measure is not enacted into law this year.
MILF peace panel chairman Mohagher Iqbal said there were signs that the BBL would not be passed and there would be frustration in the ranks of the MILF. But the MILF would still pursue the path of peace even if the measure is not enacted.
“Signs are already pointing in that direction. There’s a repeated lack of quorum in the House of Representatives. If it would not be passed these three days, I don’t think it would ever be passed at all,” said MILF peace panel chairman Mohagher Iqbal.
“I’m no longer optimistic but I’m still hoping this will pass. If the BBL doesn’t pass, I think we’re back to zero. But in terms of the peace process, I don’t think we’ll be back to zero, except if a new president would adopt a war policy,” he added.
Iqbal also said that the MILF would raise the BBL with the new administration because of the Aquino government’s failure to do its obligation on the peace process.