MNLF, MILF free to join police, politics after BBL passage — Zubiri

Former Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters will be free to join the police once the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) is approved, Senator Migz Zubiri said in an interview on Monday.

"They did not ask for this," Zubiri said in a show on ANC. "It's a sweetener on our part. Combatants of the MNLF and MILF can join the PNP because we waived the requirements for height, weight, and education... Only for the region."

MNLF and MILF recruits will be given 15 years to fulfill the educational requirement.

Zubiri noted, "This is not unique. We did this in the old organic act. As a matter of fact, the MNLF 'integrees' are [among] our best fighters in the AFP. They helped us in Marawi, they run after the Abu Sayyaf."

"So as long as they go through the qualifications set by the PNP in terms of training and the command structure still under the Philippine National Police, we're fine with that. They know the language, they know the culture," he added.

Moreover, the former MILF and MNLF members will be free to join local politics if the BBL is passed.

"The MNLF can come up with their own party," Zubiri said. "The MILF can also call their [party] the MILF party. Then they all get as many seats as...allocated for party lists."

Zubiri said on Saturday after a bicameral conference committee that 99 percent of the BBL is complete.

The senator hopes the bill will be ready by Tuesday in spite of misgivings over the removal of the "anti-dynasty" provision, which he believes can be circumvented by the BBL's party-focused politics.

He said the parties "will have 50 percent of the seats" in parliament, while 40 percent goes to directly elected representatives and the remaining 10 percent to sectoral representatives.

Should any officials turn out corrupt, Zubiri said, mainland and island provinces can air their concerns to the chief minister and deputy minister and "can take [them] out" through voting.

"If the governor was corrupt... he'll stay there for the next three terms—that's been the practice in the last 30 years in the ARMM," he added. "This way, there's a mode of removal, which is a no-confidence vote."

The same provisions will also allow former MNLF and MILF rebels to join politics.

In order to exercise the functions of the Bangsamoro government, the BBL will automatically give it a block grant similar to the IRA or Internal Revenue Allotment of the local governments.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said that President Rodrigo Duterte will sign the BBL as soon as Congress resolves issues over plebiscite and territory issues. — Rie Takumi/BM, GMA News