By VANNE TERRAZOLA • GENALYN KABILING
President Duterte has certified the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law as an “urgent” measure, according to Senate President Vicente Sotto III.
“ES (Executive Secretary Salvador) Medialdea just called. They will send now the certification,” Sotto confirmed in a text message yesterday afternoon.
Sotto made the confirmation after he and other leaders of Congress met Duterte Monday night.
With President Duterte’s certification, the Senate can approve the priority measure on third reading immediately after it is passed on second reading.
As of writing, the Senate Bill 1717 is undergoing the period of amendments in the plenary.
“The President told us last night that he will (certify BBL as urgent). He also knows there are two versions. We will not be able to pass BBL on third reading if we do not get a certification of urgency,” Sotto said in a text message
As this developed, Duterte is hopeful that the proposed BBL will be passed before Congress adjourns its session on June 2, Malacañang said.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said leaders from the Senate and House of Representatives have committed to do “everything that is humanly as possible” to pass the BBL during a meeting with the President at the Palace last Monday.
“The certification (of urgency) may not be necessary because in the first place they have different versions but the commitment is for both Houses to pass it and to reconcile whatever versions they may have so it can be enacted into law at the soonest time possible,” Roque said in a press conference in Bontoc, Mt. Province.
“Now, of course, we would like to see the BBL enacted before Congress goes into recess on June 2, pro ang pangako po talaga [but the promise] is they would do everything that is humanly possible to pass BBL,” he added.
The President met with Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and several lawmakers in Malacañang Monday night to seek the approval of the bill seeking to BBL.
Prior to the meeting with lawmakers, the President tackled the peace initiative with the members of Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) who drafted the proposed BBL.
The bill seeks to create the Bangsamoro region that will replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Duterte has vigorously pushed for its passage in a bid to bring peace and development in the south.
Roque has described the President’s latest conversation with Congress leaders and BTC members as a “conciliation meeting.”
“Nagkasundo po muli ang liderato pati po ang BTC na kinakailangan ng bansa ang BBL,” he said.
