THE Senate and the House of Representatives on Monday, July 9, convened to iron out the disagreeing provisions in their respective versions of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law.
The Bicameral Conference Committee which is mandated to tackle Senate Bill 1717 and House Bill 5475 is led by the majority leaders of each chamber, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri and Ilocos Norte Representative Rodolfo Fariñas.
In his opening speech, Fariñas told the 29-member conference committee to work hand in hand to pass the BBL that is guided by the Constitution.
"We'll have to ensure that anything we do and everything that we do here will be compliant to the Constitution, because surely, this will be challenged," Fariñas said.
"So it is our task to see to it that whatever we agree and come up here will have to pass the test of constitutionality," he added.
Zubiri shares the same sentiment.
“In performing our duties, let the following be our guideposts: Constitutionality – the Constitution being the supreme law of the land sets both the latitude and delimitations of what we can incorporate in this basic law,” he said.
Zuburi added that the disussion should also center on autonomy, acceptability, social justice and peace and development.
The committee is expected to come up with a final version of the BBL soon as the Congress earlier vowed to ratify the proposed BBL on their third regular session on July 23 so that President Rodrigo Duterte could sign it into law just before he delivers his State of the Nation Address.
The proposed BBL seeks the abolition of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and the establishment of a new Bangsamoro political entity.
Meanwhile, the House delegation in the Bicameral Conference Committee is composed of Deputy Speaker Bai Sandra Sinsuat Sema, and Reps. Juan Pablo Bondoc, Arthur Defensor Jr., Johnny Ty Pimentel, Eugene Michael De Vera, Pedro Acharon Jr., Mauyag Papandayan Jr., Ruby Sahali, Rodolfo Albano III, Amihilda Sangcopan, Wilter Wee Palma II, Celso Lobregat, Mohammad Khalid Dimaporo, Abdullah Dimaporo, Romeo Acop, Seth Frederick Jalosjos, Shernee Abubakar Tan, and Rodante Marcoleta.
The Senate panel includes Senators Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara, Aquilino Pimentel III, Sherwin Gatchalian, Joel Villanueva, Francis Escudero, Franklin Drilon, Risa Hontiveros, Loren Legarda, and Francis Pangilinan. (SunStar Philippines)