Governance, Unity and the Bangsamoro
Basic Law (BBL): A Student View
His Eminence
By: Meliton M. Adsuara III
Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) is
indeed one of the hottest and most
controversial topics in the world of
politics today. BBL is a proposed bill
presented by President Benigno S.
Aquino IIIs administration before the
congress. It aims to end the long time
arm struggle in Mindanao between the
Muslim rebel groups and the
governments force.
Can peace be attained in Mindanao
through BBL?
The government peace panel and
the Moro Islamic Liberation Front
(MILF) are convincing us to believe that
BBL could guarantee long term peace in
Mindanao. In an interview conducted by
the Philippine News Agency, Mirriam
Ferrer, member of the government
peace panel said passing the BBL into a
law will not guarantee the end of conflict
in Mindanao. BBL is not equal to peace,
its too narrow a view, she said.
So if BBL is not tantamount to
peace why is the government pushing
for it? The conflict in Mindanao will
intensify because there are also other
armed groups who were not consulted
or included in the peace talks between
the government and MILF like the Abu
Sayyaf Group (ASG), Moro National
Liberation Front (MNLF), Bangsamoro
Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and
the newly established Justice for Islamic
Movement (JIM). Would they honor and
respect the Bangsamoro government?
Governance under the
Bangsamoro government
The Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will be
abolished and be replaced with
Bangsamoro Government.
The Bangsamoro government is
somewhat not under the Central
Government because if you will read the
BBL draft, the operative word used in all
associations between the Bangsamoro
Government and the Central establishment of their own version of
Government is in cooperation with Supreme Court. The Shariah High
and not under. Court decides finality, the power only
given to the Supreme Court (SC). It
It is filled with full legislative and
violates the constitutional privilege of
executive power (Article VII). It assures
SC as the court of last resort.
its power to enact laws not
ordinances. It shall have at least one BBL is not the solution to end the
representative to vital agencies of the conflict in Mindanao. The MILF would
republic like the Commission on Audit not want Senator Ferdinand Bong
(COA). It shall have the primary Bong Marcos, Jr.s version of the draft
responsibility over public order and because the present one is the closest
safety (Art. 5 Sec. 2 No 14). It disregards they have to achieve their independence.
the Central Government with its Armed
At the end, the civilians especially
Forces and National Police safeguarding
the lumads will suffer if we will not
only the regions external security (Art. 5
decide properly on this issue. We are
Sec. 1 No 1). This means that Philippine
being set up by the government. No
National Police (PNP) shall have to
matter what happens the state must
coordinate and cooperate first with the
promote general welfare of the people,
Bangsamoro government. It violates the
not the states enemies.
right of PNP being independent.

I think the most delicate and

sensitive part of the BBL is the