Thousands join BOL ratification campaign in Cotabato City
BANGSAMORO NEWS UPDATES • 02:58 AM Tue Dec 11, 2018
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By:
Ferdinandh Cabrera
The Bangsamoro people gather inside the ARMM compound in Cotabato City during the grand rally for ratification campaign of BOL.
COTABATO CITY – Hundreds of thousands of Bangsamoro from across Mindanao joined
Moro leaders in asking every Muslim to support the ratification of Bangsamoro
Organic Law (BOL).
Leaders also
appealed for public support from all sectors for this might be the last chance
to attain peace in Muslim Mindanao.
Moro Islamic
Liberation Front (MILF) chieftain Al Haj Murad, MNLF chair Muslimin Sema and Regional
Governor Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) were
present during the grand rally that kicked off the 45-day campaign period for
the ratification of BOL, the enabling law that will expand the current ARMM
territory in compliance with the provisions of the comprehensive Agreement on
the Bangsamoro (CAB).
I appeal to
everybody, this is the last maybe, (our) last chance for peace, Chairman Murad
said during the half-day gathering inside the ARMM compound Monday.
Murad assured
the new political entity will be inclusive for Mindanao’s tri-people, including
Cotabato City.
Sema said the
BOL may still be imperfect but it’s the best so far.
It is still
imperfect and still needs enhancement (referring to BOL) but it is so far the
best alternative we have before us, it is a collective work, in progress,
anchored in centuries of conflict, Sema said.
The gathering
at ARMM compound located at the heart of Cotabato City forced the city government
to suspend classes in all levels and both in public and private schools.
Traffic was outrageous
from 7 a.m. when rally participants trooped to the ARMM compound. Normalcy was
restored along major highways after lunch when the participants started leaving
for home.
A member of
the MILF from Lanao del Sur was arrested by Army Special Forces in the city for
possession of an unlicensed cal. 45 pistol.