Congress will reject BBL unless it meets conditions - Cayetano

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

 URDANETA CITY – A Philippines' senator said the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) could not be passed by Congress as a whole unless it meets three requirements.

STUDENTS’ FORUM. Senator Alan Peter Cayetano speaks recently before 

the students of Pangasinan State University in Urdaneta City. He discussed

 the merits of th Iskolar ng Bayan (INB) where top ten high school  graduates

 are given free education in the first year in state colleges and universities. 

INB is a law Cayetano’s authored .  He also called his colleagues in

 Congress to expand its coverage to include the succeeding years in college

of those qualified scholars. MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

“No. 1, the BBL should be revised to make it more equitable and more inclusive. No. 2, there should be agreements in other places in Mindanao. No. 3, MILF (Moro National Liberation Front) should show sincerity like not making any more guns and arms in their arsenal. It shows now that they are bracing not for peace but war,” Senator Alan Peter Cayetano said here after he attended a student forum at the Pangasinan State University-Urdaneta City’s campus.

He fears that if the proposed BBL lock, stock, and barrel become a law the MILF becomes stronger and will threaten the country.

“E paano kung agawin nila ang buong Mindanao. Paano kung maging haven ng terrorism ang lugar nila? So iyong issue ng national security, hindi na puweding alisin. Kung titingnan mo ang BBL sa present form niya ay masyadong dehado ang gobiyerno at ibat-ibang regions around the country”.

He cited it (BBL) has onerous advantages like the 4000 to 8000 police force under the behest of its chief minister and not under the controls of the Philippine National Police.

“Iyong hati-an ng natural resources narinig niyo iyong sinabi ko kanina iyong all other regions 2% to 4% get but Metro Manila gets 30%. Pero sa batas na ipapasa ng BBL lahat ng natural resources nandoon kontrolado nila”

Cayetano, a groomed presidential aspirant in 2016, fears that billions of pesos and the revenues the MILF get from the natural resources would be used to buy arms and not build classrooms, hospitals, and others civilian infrastructures.