By Cielito M. Reganit
MANILA, March 2 (PNA) — A lawmaker at the House of Representatives urged his colleagues on Monday to do their part in the peace process and continue deliberations on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) in order to provide a legislated mechanism for peace in Mindanao.
In a privilege speech delivered in plenary, Muntinlupa Rep. Rodolfo Biazon said that the decades-old search for peace in the conflict-torn region is now before the august halls of Congress, where deliberations take the place of negotiations that have earlier been undertaken between the Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
“Every one of us wants peace. And the means to stop the bleeding in Mindanao is now before us – the proposed BBL,” he said.
The former soldier-turned-lawmaker said that Congress is expected to pass the BBL and now, more than ever, is the time to resolutely scrutinize the proposed law in order for it to really work.
“We have to do a lot of thinking. We have to pass a BBL that will not only pass constitutional scrutiny but also one that is accepted by all concerned for the law to work,” Biazon said.
He noted how, in the course of the hearings and consultations conducted by the House Ad Hoc Committee on the BBL, they have observed the oceans of interests of different sectors and stakeholders that needed to be reconciled.
“Christians, Lumads and Muslims offered different views. Many of these, which at times directly oppose each other, must be reconciled,” he said.
Likewise, the lawmaker said that they also have to take into consideration what happened with the final peace agreement with the Moro National Liberation front (MNLF) in 1997 that instead of leading to a final peace solution spawned the MILF.
“The present peace process with the MILF spawned the problem of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and who knows what other sector that up to now may be silent,” he said.
Thus, the veteran lawmaker said, they also needed to ensure that that the BBL that they would pass will not spawn other problems in the future which may be more serious than the malady they are being asked to cure.
“The ball towards attaining peace in Mindanao is now in our court. Negotiations, being a function of the Executive department, are over. Together, let us find that formula for the future of Filipinos yet to be born, not only in Mindanao, but in the entire country,” Biazon said. (PNA)