Bangsamoro Basic Law, in its present form, will only compromise the republic as the government has been warned.

Senator Bongbong Marcos pointed out that there is no need to rush catching the deadline to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law, hinting major revisions needed as he described it as ill-conceived and poorly written.

Marcos came again to Bohol last Friday to interact with the cooperatives here, being the vice-chair of the Senate Committee on Cooperatives.

The way it had been drafted, Bangsamoro Basic Law it is impossible for it to pass muster at the Senate and the House of Representatives in its current form.

The senator also noted that the Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro (FAB) and the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) “was signed without consulting any government authority when in fact the authority to negotiate with armed groups in Mindanao was contained in an executive order that says it should involve representatives of the House, the Senate, clergy and different sectors”.

However, only the MILF and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process talked about things.

That is why when the Bangsamoro Basic Law draft was presented to them, Marcos said they were surprised how it came about.

“I believe that a version of the BBL, not the version that was given to us will be passed by at some point. I know in the House, there’s a lot of campaigning going on,”

The administration is banking on the SWS survey showing that majority wanted it passed, but actually the respondents were asked if they wanted the peace process to continue or all-out war, not if they wanted the BBL

The general consensus is the people do not want the BBL because they no longer trust the MILF or the peace process, because of the Mamasapano incident in January.

Marcos hinted a thorough review if the BBL has to be there.

“When it comes to the fundamental question—will the BBL bring peace? [Since] the administration said pass the BBL or there will be war. Ako, I don’t accept that. Na sinasabi pasa na or magkakagyera, pasa nyo na hindi pinapalitan at magkakaproblema. I disagree. I don’t think so,” Marcos pointed out.

The senator also emphasized that it is not true that BBL will bring peace, although it might help.

“What do we do with the MNLF, what would we do about the MNLF’s Jakarta agreement of 1996. What happened there? And, all the other armed groups–what do we do about them? There are many local concerns like yong sinasabi yong ibang naisama sa plebiscite na magkakaroon ng plebiscite sinasabing wala namang MILF dito, bakit ngayon MI[LF] ang mamumuno sa amin dito? Many of the ARMM (Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao) governors may have taken that position So, We have to be very careful,” Marcos added.

It might also be the first step of their separation from the republic and that there are even suspicions that the Bangsamoro territory will be transferred to Malaysia, Marcos warned.

He said these questions have never been asked by the government and the BBL had been pushed without being carefully studied.

On the part of the Senate, those questions have to be addressed as things become complex, then many issues and questions cropped up, Marcos added.

“To impose a deadline–an arbitrary deadline–is not helpful. If pipilitin na matapos by June 10, because last session day is June 10, kahit pinipilit nilang June 10, why? What difference will it take? Bakit pipilitin hindi pa tapos, hindi pa naayos. I had seen versions in the House, that even the versions in the House have problems,” according to Marcos.

He said they still have to see what version will finally be given to the House of Representatives and what will be given to the Senate.

“We have taken the position that we are not constrained by the CAB and the agreement of MILF and OPAPP. We will do whatever we think needs to be done whether or not it is within FAB or CAB. We have to wait how the different groups will react to it,” Marcos emphasized.