Palace confident of public support for draft BBL passage

SunStar (Photo CTO UNTV)

MALACANANG expressed confidence on Sunday that the government could get more support from the public on the peace process amid the plan to hold a National Peace Summit to be led by an independent council.

With that, Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda indicated that fears of a possible break out of war in Mindanao due to the stalled peace talks would be unlikely.

"What we are earnestly pursuing right now is what the President (Benigno Aquino III) announced very recently on the National Peace Summit, that we can discuss in a non-impassioned manner the peace process and, specifically, the BBL (Bangsamoro Basic Law)," he said over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.

Aquino disclosed on Friday that he invited independent convenors from the church, business, and peace groups to lead the summit where they would discuss and improve the draft BBL, now pending in Congress.

"We are confident that as more stakeholders are involved, and as more people are informed about the peace process in general and the Bangsamoro Basic Law specifically, we will be able to continue to muster the general sentiment," Lacierda said.

Malaysia was reportedly preparing its offshore military bases to intercept Filipino refugees who might flee to Sabah in the event that war erupts in Mindanao due to stalled peace talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

"We cannot speak for Malaysia," Lacierda said, reacting on the report.

But he stressed that the Palace believes that the sentiment of the people is towards peace.
"It's just that we need to look at the peace process from the prism of all the stakeholders involved, not necessarily in just one incident, the Mamasapano. Nagkaroon ng effect ang Mamasapano but we need to look at the peace process in and of itself," he added.

The deliberations on the proposed BBL were suspended after the tragic anti-terrorism operation launched on January 25 in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, resulting to the death of 44 members of the police Special Action Force (SAF).

Their deaths have resulted on the strong sentiment of most Filipinos against the passage of the Bangsamoro bill. (SDR/Sunnex)