Palace hopes for timely passage of Bangsamoro Basic Law

MANILA, Jan. 10 (PNA) -- The Palace said it hopes to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law within the administration's timetable in the first quarter of this year to permanently put an end to decades-long Muslim separatism in Mindanao.Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, the chair of the Senate committee on constitutional amendments and revision of codes, said she will raise the legality issues of the Bangsamoro Basic Law. Santiago, has set the hearings for Jan. 26 and Feb. 2.Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte, in a radio interview on Saturday, said she hopes the constitutionality issues on the BBL will be settled in Congress. In the beginning, I understand that Senator Defensor-Santiago has always been of the position that there are certain things that she believes -- that she has a contrary opinion, Valte told dzRB Radyo Ng Bayan. Hopefully, these questions or positions can be the subject of discussions between her and other lawmakers, as the law is discussed in Congress. Asked if she thinks the the law could be passed within the administration's time frame, the Palace official said they have not lost their optimism for its passage. We remain hopeful. We understand that there are a number of issues that need to be thoroughly discussed by lawmakers when this reaches the floor, she said. But we remain hopeful that it will make the intended timetable. Santiago said she wants to hear the views of those who forged the agreement. She noted the peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) also sought to establish a substate that would exercise certain sovereign powers otherwise reserved for the central government.Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who conducted public hearings on the draft law in parts of Mindanao as chair of the local government committee, agreed that the issue of substate was the main constitutional question.” (PNA)LAM/PND/SSC