Bangsamoro Basic Law

Bangsamoro Basic Law
Bangsamoro Basic Law

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Map of the Philippines highlighting the location of the proposed Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Mindanao.
Location Manila, Philippines
Condition Ratification by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Republic of the Philippines
Signatories
Depositary Government of the Philippines
Language English

The Bangsamoro Basic Law, often referred to by the acronym " BBL" (Filipino: Batayang Batas para sa Rehiyong Awtonomo ng Bangsamoro),[1] was a bill deliberated upon by the 16th Congress of the Philippines which, had it passed, would have established a proposed new autonomous political entity known as the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, replacing the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).[2]

As an organic act, the Basic Law would have provided for the basic structure of government for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, and enacted the agreements set forth in the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, which is the peace agreement signed between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in 2014.[2]

Parts of the Proposed Law

The various portions of the BBL as proposed by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission which had been assigned to draft the bill include sections covering:[3]

Legislative process and replacement bills

The draft of the law was submitted by President Benigno Aquino III to Congress leaders on September 10, 2014.[4]

An Ad Hoc committee assigned to the bill by Philippine House of Representatives passed its version of the bill, House Bill 5811, on May 20, 2015. The bill is now under interpellation in the house plenary.[5][6]

In the Philippine Senate, a revised version of the BBL, known as the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region Law (Senate Bill 2894[7]), was presented on August 11, 2015[8] after lengthy deliberations on the BBL in the Committee on Local Government,[8] and was due for interpellation on August 17, 2015.[9] Due to the length and complexity of the bill, however, the senate temporarily deferred the period of interpellation for the bill.[10]

History of the Bangsamoro Peace Agreements

The Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro

On 15 October 2012, a preliminary peace agreement was signed in the Malacañan Palace between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Government of the Philippines. This was the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro, which called for the creation of an autonomous political entity named Bangsamoro, replacing the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).[11]

The signing came at the end of peace talks held in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia from 2–6 October. These talks were the last of 32 peace talks between the two parties, which spanned a period of nine years.[11]

The Annexes and Addendum to the FAB

The Framework Agreement was later fleshed out[12] by four Annexes and an addendum:

The Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro

On 27 March 2014, a final peace agreement fully fleshing out the terms of the framework agreement and annexes, known as the Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro (CAB) was signed between the two parties.[13] Under the agreement, the Islamic separatists would turn over their firearms to a third party, which would be selected by the rebels and the Philippine government.[13] The MILF had agreed to decommission its armed wing, the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF). In return, the government would establish an autonomous Bangsamoro.[13] Power sharing was a central point to the autonomy redesign.[13]

The Mamasapano clash, and public reaction

Main article: Mamasapano clash

On Sunday, January 25, 2015, three platoons of the elite Special Action Force (SAF) under the Philippine National Police entered the guerrilla enclave of Tukanalipao, Mindanao, Philippines, with the goal of detaining two high-ranking Jemaah Islamiyah-affiliated, improvised-explosive-device experts, Zulkifli Abdhir (also known as Marwan) and Abdul Basit Usman. The SAF troops raided the hut where they believed Marwan was located, and the man they believed to be Marwan engaged them in a firefight and was killed. However, the shooting alerted armed forces in the area. What followed was a bloody encounter that left 44 SAF, 18 MILF, and 5 BIFF dead.[14][15][16]

Supposedly as a result of the negative media coverage arising from the Mamasapano incident, the March 2015 survey conducted by public opinions polling group Pulse Asia found that 44% of Filipinos were opposed to the Bangsamoro Basic Law's passage, with only 22% supporting its passage.[17] Opposition to the law was strongest among the poor (45% in Class D, 43% in Class E) and among those living in Mindanao (62%).[17] Awareness of the law was high, at 88%.[17]

With the collapse in popularity of the bill, House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. acknowledged the prospect that the bill may be rejected by Congress in the face of stiff public opposition, and hoped that the government would produce a "Plan B".[18]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Panukalang Batas Blg. 4994" (PDF). Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  2. 1 2 "FAQs about the Bangsamoro Basic Law". GMA News Online. GMA Network. September 10, 2014. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
  3. ↑ http://www.hdcentre.org/uploads/tx_news/Primer-on-the-proposed-Bangsamoro-Basic-Law.pdf
  4. ↑ Andreo Calonzo (September 10, 2014). "PNoy personally submits draft Bangsamoro law to Congress leaders". GMA News Online putaa. GMA Network. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
  5. ↑ http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/692631/house-passes-proposed-bbl-50-17
  6. ↑ http://www.mindanews.com/peace-process/2015/07/30/btc-rejects-hb-5811-urges-congress-to-pass-bbl-in-its-original-form/
  7. ↑ http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/718491/marcos-bangsamoro-bill-exercise-in-futility
  8. 1 2 Mendez, Christina (4 August 2015). "Senate sets new timeline for BBL approval". Philstar. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  9. ↑ Gita, Ruth Abbey (13 August 2015). "Senate BBL debates to start August 17". Sun.Star. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  10. ↑ Nicolas, Fiona. "Senate defers BBL deliberations". cnnphilippines.com/. CNN Philippines. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  11. 1 2 "Govt, MILF agree to create ‘Bangsamoro’ to replace ARMM | News | GMA News Online | The Go-To Site for Filipinos Everywhere". Gmanetwork.com. 2012-10-07. Retrieved 2012-10-26.
  12. ↑ Sabillo, Kristine Angeli (26 March 2014). "What is the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro?". newsinfo.inquirer.net (Philippine Daily Inquirer). Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  13. 1 2 3 4 "500 MILF members to attend Bangsamoro accord signing at Palace | Inquirer News". Newsinfo.inquirer.net. 2014-03-25. Retrieved 2015-02-27.
  14. ↑ "Text message sent by Napeñas to AFP 6th Infantry Division commander at 6:18am". ABS-CBN News Channel Twitter. February 9, 2015. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
  15. ↑ "PNP: Elite cops killed in Maguindanao clashes". Rappler. January 25, 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Survey says: opinions on Bangsamoro Basic Law more favorable among those who know it". Business World Online. 5 June 2015. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  17. 1 2 3 Calonzo, Andreo (March 19, 2015). "44% of Pinoys oppose passage of BBL —Pulse Asia". GMA News Online. GMA Network. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
  18. ↑ Yap, DJ; Salaverria, Leila; Dizon, Nikko (March 20, 2015). "44% vs BBL: Gov’t needs Plan B". Inquirer.net. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved March 19, 2015.

External links

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