WAS the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), formerly Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), ratified by the House of Representatives? It was if you were listening closely to President Rodrigo R. Duterte's State of the Nation Address (Sona), yesterday. And apparently, it was, according to an insider.
Duterte in his Sona promised swift action on the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) and that this will be signed into law, he just needs 48 hours to review it.
What's baffling was when the President read the part of the prepared State of the Nation Address (Sona) that said, "When the approved version is transmitted and received by my office...", he paused and added: "The law has been passed actually and I intend to... Give me 48 hours to sign it and ratify the law."
What was clear was that he will make sure that the law he will sign will be true to its intention.
Calling up those who have inside information about how the BOL is going, Sun.Star finally got word later last night that there is supposed to be a ratified version that was forwarded to the President by the group that has associated themselves with new House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. That was what Duterte was referring to, the source involved in the peace negotiations said.
"So submitted to Digong na... for his signature so he said he needs 48 hrs to work on it," the source said.
Duterte, reiterating his promise that his government will work to resolve the conflict in Bangsamoro, which he has repeatedly described as a result of historic injustice, he also recalled how the bulk of income generated in Mindanao are remitted to the national capital and are used to finance projects in the national capital, "leaving a pittance to Mindanao as its share" and vowed to rectify this.
"Despite all that has been said [for] or against the Bangsamoro Organic Law by all sectoral groups, I make this solemn commitment that this administration will never deny our Muslim brothers and sisters the basic legal tools to chart their own destiny within the Constitutional framework of our country," he said.
"Babasahin ko pa bago ko pipirmahan. Baka may isiningit kayo diyan na hindi maganda para sa --- para sa ibang tao," he adlibbed.
When and how the Congress passed it, no one has yet explained as the House was locked in its power play to replace Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.
Read: House installs Arroyo as new Speaker
"We will need loads of understanding and patience to endure and overcome the birth pangs or pains of the new beginning. To me, war is not an option. We have been through the catastrophe in Marawi. We have seen the horror, the devastation, and the human toll and the displacement of both Christians and Muslims alike," the President said.
Meanwhile, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Jesus G. Dureza pointed out that the non-ratification of the BOL by the House of Representatives was more because of leadership issues and not about the BOL.
"The BOL's non-ratification came when the House suddenly adjourned and it had nothing to do at all with some substantive issues of the proposed law. The BOL suffered this temporary setback, as a 'collateral damage' to an internal leadership issue in the House but I trust and expect that in due time, the ratification which it deserves, will take place as a matter of course," Dureza said.
A statement released by the Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque rued that the BOL was not passed by the Lower House before it adjourned yesterday, but see this as but a temporary setback.
"We, however, remain confident that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte will sign the Bangsamoro Organic Law as soon as both houses of Congress finally ratify the bill," the statement read.