ARMM stays if the proposed BBL fails to pass Congress- Marcos

DAVAO CITY, June  2 (PIA) Senate committee chair on Local Government and Public Works Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., foresees the retention of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao if the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law will not pass before the 2016 national and local elections.

Speaking to reporters, he said the ARMM will remain given that the first act of the proposed BLL is to abolish the ARMM.

Marcos said without the BBL, there will be no changes in the system of governance in the affected territories and local candidates have to file their certificates of candidacies by October and will be part of the elections in May, 2016.

He said the fate of the proposed BBL might be like the destiny of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain in 2008 which was struck down by the Supreme Court.

Marcos said the proposed BBL can only be implemented if it passes Congress, clears all legal questions at the Supreme Court and has gone through a plebiscite.

He stressed that there is no need to fast-track the passage of the BBL since it is not stated in the proposed measure.

“No one explains to us why there is a deadline,” Marcos said.
He underscored that the BBL needs to be thoroughly deliberated given its importance to the realization of lasting peace in Mindanao.

Marcos proposed to align all territories under the proposed Bangsamoro to all regular local government units which currently have their respective offices of the Commission on Audit and Commission on Elections.
He said the move aims to address the contentious issues relative to local government besetting the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law.

He said the proposal also wants to show that these offices within the Bangsamoro territory remain under the national offices in Manila.
Marcos said all local government units in the country have COA and COMELEC offices.

“Let us not change this.  It is the general principle that we are going to follow,” he said.

Marcos affirmed that the original version of the proposed BBL submitted by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the government peace panel will not pass in both in the lower chamber and in the Senate.

He however assured that changes are being made in the proposed BBL in order for it to be legally acceptable.  (PIA 11-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)