Senate wary of giving Bangsamoro entity too much power —Sotto

The Senate will pass next week what Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III

said would be a "conservative but well-crafted" version of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law.

That is, if President Rodrigo Duterte certifies the measure urgent.

Sotto said that the Senate take on the BBL would be different from the House of Representatives version, which is closer to the one submitted by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission.

He said the Senate is careful in crafting the proposed measure as it could be the template in the federal regions that would be established in the future.

“We’re thinking that the BBL, if we pass it, might become the template for the regional federal states or areas or federal regions," Sotto said.

"So baka ‘yun ‘yung maging template. So pag masyadong kung anu-ano ang nabigay natin especially kung malaki ang tatamaan diyan, baka walang matira sa national government,” he added.

In a separate television interview, Sotto expressed confidence that the version they will be passing will not have the unconstitutional issues.

“We will be very careful with the block grants and funding, we will be making sure that the allotments for IRA or internal revenue allotment are in place and properly described  and then the creeping opt in, we will make sure that it will not be opt in. It will be opt in that will be on the level,” he said.

The Senate chief said during the news forum that their version will be a better version.

“I think we will be able to come up with a conservative but well-crafted proposal. The House is much closer to what the BTC submitted. The bicam(eral conference committee) would take a lot of time, I think," Sotto said at a news forum.

"But we’re also optimistic that if the President see the Senate version, we might get the support in many of the proposals that we want,” he added.

Sotto said senators had terminated on Wednesday night the period of interpellation and they will start the period of amendments next week.

He added they would amend the bill page by page.

“Monday will be the period of amendments. We plan to take it up the same way we did it in the olden days. I mean page by page. Ganun kami mag-amend n’ung araw eh,” Sotto said.

He expressed confidence senators could put in all the amendments by Monday or Tuesday and approve it on second reading the same day.

He said the Senate would do away with the three-day rule and approve the proposed BBL on third and final reading by Tuesday or Wednesday if Duterte certified the bill urgent.

“Keeping my fingers crossed, we would be able to pass the period of amendments by Monday, at the latest Tuesday, and pass it on second reading on Tuesday and if we receive the certification as urgent from the President, then we do away with the three day rule,” he said.

"Without the certification, we cannot approve it on third reading," he added.

On Tuesday, the Senate asked the President to certify the bill as urgent.

The Congress is set to adjourn the 2nd regular session of the 17th Congress on May 30. The 3rd session will start on July 23.

Once approved on third reading and final reading, the Senate and House panels can then meet to reconcile the differences even during the sine die adjournment.

“Sa palagay ko they can hold bicam meetings during the adjournment kahit small group na muna sila. (Majority Leader Juan Miguel) Zubiri already have the names of the members of the Senate panel including (Senator Franklin) Drilon and (Pro-Tempore Ralph) Recto who have many amendments,” he said. —NB/KG, GMA News