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Duterte wants Congress to hold special session on BBL


President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said he will ask Congress to convene a special session to discuss the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

In a speech during the first Bangsamoro Assembly held in Sultan Kudarat town in Maguindanao, Duterte said he will ask Congress for at least one day to hear the concerns of the Moro people.

“Ang akin, it must be inclusive, lahat. Walang maiiwan dito sa peace talks na ito, MILF, MNLF, lahat na, Lumad, kailangan kasali,” Duterte said, referring to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Front.

“I will work very hard for it. I will ask Congress to [convene] a special session just to hear you talk about this. Sabi ko, sagrado ito, importante ito, at mahalaga ito,” Duterte added.

During his speech, however, Duterte did not indicate as to when he wants Congress to convene. Congress is scheduled to go on a legislative break from December 16, 2017 to January 14, 2018.

Article VI, Section 15 of the 1987 Constitution states that “the President may call a special session at any time.”

“If it’s not in consonance with each other, then we’ll work it out. But at least Congress and the Filipino people should be given a day to hear you out on what we intend to do,” Duterte said.

Duterte said he intends to fulfill his promise of support for the aspirations of the Moro people as embodied in the proposed BBL.

“I support you, that is my promise. Do not ever, ever question me. Delay? Of course, it entails delay…It takes forever to move. Somebody has to push it,” he said.

The BBL was supposed to the be the legal framework of the peace deal signed during the Aquino administration and the MILF. The proposal, however, failed to get the approval of Congress in the aftermath of the Mamasapano clash that killed 44 elite cops.

Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, a close ally of Duterte, said he is “open” to holding a special session on the BBL.

“Sure, I am open. But will have to take it up with my colleagues,” Pimentel said in a text message.

Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, for his part, said he would rather have the special session next year, as the Senate has calendared the approval of the proposed 2018 budget and the tax reform program in the next few weeks before they go on a break. — RSJ, GMA News

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