Malacañang certifies proposed BBL as urgent

Malacañang has certified the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law as urgent.

“ES [Executive Secretary Salvador] Medialdea just called. They will send now the certification,” Senate President Vicente Sotto III said in a message to reporters.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque confirmed the development.

"After much deliberation, the President has decided to make the House and Senate versions of the BBL as urgent and a copy of it is on its way to both houses of Congress," Roque said in a statement. "Once both chambers have reconciled and finalized the version, the President will sign the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL)."

Special Assistant to the President Christopher "Bong" Go added Duterte issued the certification "since passing the BBL is of utmost importance."

The Senate President's message came after Roque previously announced that there may no longer a need to certify the proposed BBL as urgent.

At a news conference in Mountain Province, Roque cited the varying versions of the Senate and House of Representatives that still have to be threshed out as the reason for Malacañang's not certifying the bill as urgent.

“Yung certification nga po may not be necessary because in the first place they have different versions,” he said. —ALG/NB, GMA News