House ratifies Bangsamoro law a day after SONA, Gloria takeover

The House of Representatives on Tuesday ratified the bicameral conference committee report on the proposed Bangsamoro Organic Law, a day after it was supposed to be signed into law.

The chamber approved the motion of Deputy Speaker Fredenil Castro to ratify the proposed measure, which is seen to bring just and lasting peace in strife-torn Mindanao.

The approval of the measure came after a six-day marathon deliberations of the several members of the Senate and the House to reconcile the disagreeing provisions of their respective versions of the bill.

Among the key provisions of the proposed law are:

• the freedom to exercise religion under the Bangsamoro government;
• the enumeration of the powers to be devolved to the Bangsamoro government instead of listing down the reserved and concurrent powers of the national and local government;
• inland bodies of water in the Bangsamoro region will be co-managed by the regional government and the national government while those not used to produce energy will be under the control of the Bangsamoro regional government;
• former Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters will be free to join the police force;
• six municipalities of Lanao del Norte and the 39 barangays of North Cotabato could vote to join the BBL territory in a referendum to be conducted on the mother territory of the areas involved.

A plebiscite shall be held not earlier than 90 days and no later than 150 days after the effectivity of the BOL for the people of what will be called as Bangsamoro Autonomous Region to vote if they are for or against it.

Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza welcomed the ratification by the House.

"?It's been a long and arduous road for all.?? When President Duterte approves and signs it into law, it will be a new beginning for all Bangsamoro and all citizens to work for a better and peaceful Mindanao and country," he said in a statement.

"It will not be easy. But let's all stay the course."

President Rodrigo Duterte was supposed to sign the proposed Bangsamoro Organic Law before he delivered his third SONA.

The House, however, failed to ratify the measure after their morning session on Monday was abruptly suspended.

The Senate, however, was able to ratify during their own session.

Duterte himself vowed to establish a Bangsamoro country as he received on July 17 last year the Bangsamoro Transition Commission's draft of the proposed law.

"May I say to you, my brother Moros, that I commit to support – in front of everybody – my covenant with you that I will support and husband this instrument as it goes in the legislator for its consideration," he said.

“And there will be no objections of the provisions of all that is consistent with the Constitution and the aspiration of the Moro people,” he added.

Duterte said he would to sign the measure into law within 48 hours from the time he received it . —NB/BM, GMA News