Lagman says BBL unconstitutional

The proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law is unconstitutional because it is seeking the abolition an autonomous region provided for by the Constitution itself.

Opposition leader Albay Representative Edcel Lagman made the remark a day after the House of Representatives held an all-party caucus to discuss the BBL proposal.

"To my mind, it is unconstitutional because the Constitution created the ARMM (Autonomous Region on Muslim Mindanao) and recognized the ARMM and we cannot abolish the ARMM by mere legislation," Lagman said at a news conference.

"There has to be constitutional amendment first to replace the ARMM with another entity like BBL," he added.

The joint committees of Local Government, Muslim Affairs and Special Committee on Peace, Unity and Reconciliation have approved with no amendments House Bill 6475, which is based on the version of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) to President Rodrigo Duterte.

The bill aims to establish a political entity, provide for a basic structure of government to recognize the justness and legitimacy of the cause of the Bangsamoro people and their desire to chart their own political future through a democratic process securing their identity and allowing self-governance.

Magdalo party-list Representative Gary Alejano, however, lamented the approval of the bill in the committee level, saying that it was hastened.

"Itong present Congress deliberated the proposed BBL, they conducted 22 hearings and five public hearings but at the end of the day, ang pinasa lamang ay yung version ni Speaker Alvarez submitted by the BTC, no amendment," he said.

"Ngayon, nagc-caucus para tanungin ang miyembro, baka gusto nila ng amendment. Ang punto natin dito, kapag caucus kasi, walang records. And if we don't have the time to discuss the difference of the provisions of the BBL," he added.

The House leadership's negotiation with the BTC without considering the amendments raised by the lawmakers will only create what he called a "chopseuy" BBL proposal, Alejano said.

"Instead na deliberated ang proposal, nagkakaroon ng negotiation at naging chopseuy yung laman ng proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law," he said.

Lagman urged the House leadership to allow members to deliberate the BBL proposal in the plenary, not merely fast-track its approval.

"It will be a problem if the House leadership will fast-track the approval of the BBL because there will be inadequate and insufficient deliberations for a very important issue," he said.

"We are urging the House leadership to give opportunity to all those who would like to debate on the measure and not to fast-track the measure at the expense of a serious and deliberate consideration of the measure," he added.

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, however, is expecting that the BBL proposal will be approved on third and final reading before Congress takes a break by the end of the month. —NB, GMA News