Congress holds public hearing on Bangsamoro

FORMER House deputy speaker Pablo Garcia yesterday opposed the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) because Congress has no authority or competence to amend the Constitution to create another autonomous region.

Garcia expressed his views on the BBL during a public hearing and consultation on House Bill 4994 conducted by the Ad Hoc Committee led by Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (Cagayan de Oro) and Rep. Democrito Raymond Mendoza (TUCP Party-List).

Garcia said the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), created under Republic Act (RA) 6734 of 1989, and the Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR), created by RA 6766, are organic parts of the country's political subdivisions and cannot be abolished by just another congressional act.

But Rodriguez said laws are subject to amendments.

“There is no such thing as an irrepealable law. Pabling (Garcia) said only one (law) can be passed by Congress but that is not true because in 2001, RA 9054 was passed amending the organic acts. So, that is already a precedent,” Rodriguez said.

Repealable

“Congress cannot amend the Constitution, but any law, like the law for ARMM and CAR can be repealed anytime because laws are dynamic,” he added.

Rep. Benhur Salimbangon (Cebu, fourth district) said that there are many questions about the Bangsamoro and the public hearings are meant to address these and come up with the right legislation.

Rep. Francisco Ashley Acedillo of the Magdalo Party-List said that sustained peace and progress in Mindanao would also mean economic growth for Cebu and the rest of the Philippines.

Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia (Cebu, third district), Rep. Raul del Mar (Cebu City North), Rep. Mujib Hataman (Basilan), Rep. Tupay Loong (Sulu), Rep. Edgar Masongsong (1-Care Party-List), rep. Jorge Almonte (Misamis Occidental), Rep. Celso Lobregat (Zamboanga) and Rep. Neri Colminares (Bayan Muna) also attended the public hearing.

Mendoza said that while there were a few who opposed the passage of the BBL, majority of those who attended the 31 public hearings nationwide support it.

“We are talking here of ending a 40-year old rebellion. That's why the vast majority are for a Bangsamoro Basic Law,” Mendoza said. - By Elias O. Baquero - SunStar