WITH the holding of a plebiscite to ratify the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), Davao City Deputy Mayor Pamikerin Latip Arumpac said that only traditional politicians (TraPos) would be against it.
“Itong BOL, ganoon din naman sa Federalism. Ang mga umaayaw nito yung mga TraPo. Kasi ang iniisip ng TraPo, kapag nakaupo na ang MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front), mawawala sila sa puwesto,” Arumpac said during the Davao media forum Saturday, January 19.
“Sa amin, kung sinong ayaw sa BOL, ayaw sa Islam. Kasi Islamic ang nasa constitution naman so kapag inyawan nila ito, ayaw nila sa Islam,” he added.
The plebiscite is set on Monday, January 21, at the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm), Cotabato City, and Isabela City.
In a separate interview, Arumpac said that politicians are usually involved in graft and corruption and illegal drugs which is also why there is a need to ratify BOL as it will address these issues with the wisdom from the Qur’an.
He added that there will be assurance of smooth transition once the BOL was ratified and that Christians and Muslims alike will be fairly treated in terms of justice and other concerns.
“Sa tingin ko na ‘pag ang laman nito ang talagang ma-implement, walang maiiwan. Kristiyano man o Muslim. Lahat pantay-pantay,” Arumpac said.
Meanwhile, Mindanao Development Authority (Minda) division head Adrian Tamayo said that the information dissemination about BOL was not enough; it should not be delayed.
“It is already a long overdue expression, we are hoping that they understand their decision kasi some of those who are opposed to BOL are saying na ‘yes to Federalism’ when the direction of President Rodrigo Duterte is BOL first then Federalism,” Tamayo said.
“Minda’s role is to locate the development direction of the whole Mindanao after ratification,” he added.
Tamayo explained that BOL is the answer to historical injustices, cultural land disposition that are systematically denied to the Sultans and the Datus, and other conflicts in the area.