By Sammy F. Martin
MANILA, May 11 (PNA) — The House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) decided on Monday to reset the voting on the measure on Tuesday morning as some lawmakers continue proposing amendments to the measure.
The panel chairman, Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, said voting on the BBL under House Bill No. 4994, will start at 9:30 a.m.
The committee, which was scheduled to start voting on the proposed BBL Monday, gave way to a series of amendments before they start voting on the measure.
Rodriguez reminded the members of the panel that once they start voting for every provision using roll call voting, there is no need for explanation of votes.
“That is why we are now giving them the last chance to amend what has previously agreed upon so that when the voting started, no one is allowed to explain his/her vote to save time. I think we do not have time for voting now so I decided to make it tomorrow,” Rodriguez told reporters in a chance interview.
He also said that some of his colleagues wanted the voting on the draft bill be done in an executive session.
“Maybe they are wary of how their vote will be received by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) or the administration,” he pointed out.
When asked who are the lawmakers pressing him to do it in an executive session, he refused to name names but claimed that these colleagues are members of the administration coalition in Congress.
“We will have consensus on this. I’m sure the majority will open so we know proposals for amendments — so we know who are against. They will be coming out with certain provisions that will not follow what the MILF wants us to do, which is approve the bill without watering it down,” he explained.
He, however, clarified that voting in an executive session is not disallowed.
He reminded that major provisions of the BBL will be amended to avoid to run against the Constitution. These provisions pertain to the creation of the Bangsamoro Commissions on Audit, Elections, Human Rights, Civil Service, and Office of the Ombudsman. These will be allowed as offices and directly under the supervision of the national offices.
Being eyed to be deleted are the provision granting power to the Bangsamoro chief minister over the police and the clause providing protocols for the operations of the military in the envisioned Bangsamoro region.
The eighth provision to be deleted is the one allowing areas outside the Bangsamoro core territory to hold a plebiscite that will make them part of the Bangsamoro region.
Rodriguez said at least 60 provisions of the BBL will be amended. The rest will be “improved” to ensure the BBL won’t enable the creation of a sub-state or trigger secession.
The committee will vote per provision before voting on the bill in its entirety. The BBL has about 240 provisions. (PNA)