PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has certified the Senate and the House versions of the measure creating a new Bangsamoro region, Malacañang announced Tuesday, May 29.
The President certified the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) just hours after Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. announced that the proposed bill was unlikely to be certified as urgent.
Duterte, in a May 29 letter addressed to Senate President Vicente Sotto III and House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, certified "the necessity of the immediate enactment" of Senate Bill 1717 and House Bill 6475 in order to "advance the creation of a new autonomous region in Muslim Mindanao."
"The passage of this measure is a manifestation of the government's commitment to address the diverse needs of the people in Bangsamoro, and all communities and constituents of Mindanao, towards a just and lasting peace in Mindanao and in the Philippines as a whole," he said.
The proposed BBL aims to establish a new Bangsamoro political entity, which in effect, will replace the existing Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
The measure seeks to address the political marginalization and historical injustices against Bangsamoro people by acknowledging the legitimacy of their cause and their desire to chart their own political system.
Roque, in a statement on Tuesday afternoon, said the President decided to certify the bill as urgent following "much deliberation."
"After much deliberation, the President has decided to make the House and Senate versions of the BBL as urgent," the Palace official said.
"Copy of [the certification that makes the draft BBL as urgent bill] is on its way to both houses of Congress," he added.
In a separate statement, Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence Go said the President certified the draft Moro law as urgent, as its enactment into law "is of utmost importance."
Roque said Duterte would sign the draft BBL, once the Senate and the House of Representatives are able to iron out the conflicting provisions in their different versions of the BBL and come up with a final and consolidated bill.
"Once both chambers have reconciled [their different bills] and finalized the version, the President will sign the Bangsamoro Basic Law," he said.
Earlier, House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas said the target to enact the bill is July 23, before the President will deliver his third State of the Nation Address (Sona).
He said both Houses will pass their respective versions of the measure before they adjourn sine die.
A bicameral conference committee will resolve the conflicting provisions during the break and target to submit its report on July 23. The President will sign the consolidated bill into law on the same day. (VoxPop Philippines)