Transition Commission members to be known this week

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III is set to name this week the members of the 15-man Transition Commission that will draft the Bangsamoro Basic Law.

In an ambush interview with reporters during the launching of Sajahatra Bangsamoro in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, on Monday, Aquino said the list of nominees from both the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) was submitted to him late last week.

The President will be the one to appoint the 15 members of the Transition Commission, created through Executive Order 120, as provided for in the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro signed by the government and the MILF in October last year.

Eight members will be nominated by the MILF while seven will come from the government's shortlist.

Presidential Adviser on Peace Process Teresita Deles earlier said 15 names were shortlisted for the government's slot.

Aquino said that he hopes to finish reading the credential of possible members of the 15-man commission within this week.

"We would want to give justice by reading all of the resumes submitted and the CVs to come up with the best group of people that will come up with the organic law," Aquino said.

Aquino confessed that he is a having a hard time focusing on the Transition Commission as he was preoccupied with a lot of things, including the reports on the alleged rubout in Atimonan, Quezon, and the Tubbataha rift incident involving a vessel of the United States Navy. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)