Duterte to sign Bangsamoro law on Eid’l Fitr

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, June 20, vowed to review and sign the new version of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) on the day of Eid'l Fitr, the Muslim religious holiday, which marks end of fasting, on Monday, June 26.

"The BBL tapos na (is done), the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) will give it to me, I will sign it sa (on) Eid'l Fitr but.... it's time to be candid and to be brutally frank. This document will be the floodgate of the peace in Mindanao," he said.

The Bangsamoro Transition Commission(BTC) had approved the final draft of the BBL last June 6.

Irene Santiago, chair of government implementing panel for Bangsamoro Accords, had earlier said that the new version is an “even better version of the BBL.”

The crafting of the enabling Moro law is part of the implementation process of the Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro signed between the National Government and the MILF in March of 2014.

The first draft BBL was stalled in the 16th Congress due to the supposed failure’ of the proponents to involve other stakeholders, apart from the MILF, in the consultations.

"I am waiting for the document because I have to review it, and I have to point out to them that yung mga provisions that would have to wait for the amendment of the Constitution, and those who are doable now," Duterte said.

Duterte said he believes that the key to solving the problems of Mindanao is federalism, adding this is what he promised to the MILF and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

The president admitted that the government knew that Muslim rebels were stockpiling firearms and ammunition in Marawi City but authorities did not intervene because of the peace negotiations with the MILF and MNLF.

But Duterte said both the MNLF and the MILF are not fighting with the government anymore and that the peace pacts between the two are still holding.

"Si Nur, wala pa (he hasn't acted yet), he's not fighting the government, but I am waiting for Nur, ang MILF lang is we made a promise that it would be on time and sa Eid'l Fitr we will meet in Malcanan, and if I find things in order, I will sign it, and wait for the formal document and send it to Congress," he said

Al-Hajj Murad Ebrahim is the current chairman of the MILF while Nur Misuari is founder and leader of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

"The only way we can achieve peace in Mindanao is through federalism, yun lang ang hiningi ni (that's the only wish of) Murad and Nur, at bakit hindi natin ibigay (why can't we give it) if we can save the country from breakage of Mindanao, total we know the Moro people are also deprived of their ancestral rights," Duterte added.

Duterte, meanwhile, apologized to the Maranaos for the collateral damage in terms of civilian casualties and loss of property as a result of the almost month-long fighting in Marawi City between the government forces and Maute Terror Group.

Duterte was in the city on Tuesday to visit wounded soldiers recuperating at the Army station hospital at Camp Edilberto Evangelista.

Prior to coming to the city, the president visited evacuation centers in Iligan to talk with internally displaced persons.

In a speech before soldiers in Camp Evangelista, Duterte said he is willing to "flatten" Marawi City if this would mean ridding the country’s only Islamic city of terrorist.

"If I have to flatten the place I will do it, and I will take responsibility for it, I will order the bombing, sisirain ko talaga lahat (I will destroy all)," Duterte said.

Duterte also said that the Maute group thrived due to its illegal drugs business in Mindanao and the Visayas.

"Nung medyo nagkahirapan na (When the situation gets hard), they called up the other terrorists in other areas," he said.

The president said he fears the Maute Group will sow terror in other areas of the country but said government is working hard to prevent this threat from happening.

Meanwhile, Duterte pinned wounded-in-action medals to the 79 soldiers at the Camp Evangelista.

He also provided them smartphones, caliber .45 pistols, and financial assistance worth P100,000.

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