Scrutiny of BBL not meant to deprive PNoy of legacy — Bongbong Marcos

The scrutiny that the Bangsamoro Basic Law is being subjected to in the Senate should not be seen as an attempt to snatch President Benigno Aquino III's legacy away, Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Monday.

 

In a press briefing after a Senate hearing on the BBL, Marcos said analysts cannot be blamed for seeing things that way, but added there is nothing he can do about it.

 

However, the chair of the Senate committee on local government, one of the committees looking into the bill, said: "It shouldn't be seen like that... It has nothing to do with that."

 

The BBL is expected to implement the peace deal between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

 

Aquino spokespersons have said that the BBL will be passed at all costs before the president's term ends in 2016. The law will pave the way for the creation of the Bangsamoro Political Entity, which will replace the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.

'Political deadlines'

 

Marcos, however, pointed out that the said deadlines supposedly being set for the passage of the bill are but "political deadlines."

 

"Itong lagi tayong minamadali is contrary to getting a better understanding of this important piece of legislation," he said, adding that while the panels take note of the deadlines, they want to present a "correct" version of the BBL before their fellow senators.

 

Asked when the right time to pass the BBL will be, he said: "When we are confident that we have gotten it right. How long that will take, there's no way to say."

 

"Kung maganda na ang version ng BBL before us, anong kinatatakot nila na mapag-aralang maigi?" Marcos said of the bill that was prepared by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission and was reviewed by Malacañang lawyers before being submitted to Congress. 

 

Marcos told reporters that the Palace has not reached out to him on the BBL, but pointed out that Senate President Franklin Drilon is informed of the schedule of hearings for it.

 

He also said he has not seen any acceptable reason for the rush to pass the bill.

 

Sen. Marcos says he hasn't received an acceptable answer as to why they should rush the passing of the BBL: pic.twitter.com/0S4KGBUWZA

— R-A. Dioquino (@AicaDioquino) May 18, 2015

 

Although the passage of the bill will likely be included in Aquino's final State of the Nation Address in July, Marcos said, "Those aren't proper reasons for hurrying this."

 

Earlier, he said he has not committed to meeting the June 30 deadline set by the Palace, with Congress adjourning on June 11.

 

"Kami, kung matapos namin on that day, mabuti. Pero kung hindi namin tapos, hindi natin puwedeng madaliin ito dahil napakaimportante," Marcos said in a TV interview last week.

 

"Kung madaliin natin, by June 30 ipasa na natin, the BBL will not work. I-challenge 'yan sa Supreme Court, mai-strike down 'yan. Wala na naman tayong agreement," he added. — JDS, GMA News