Press Release
March 14, 2016

PNoy is barking up the wrong tree on BBL - Bongbong

PRESIDENT Aquino is barking up the wrong tree in blaming senators for the failure of Congress to pass the Malacañang-proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, commonly known as BBL.

This was the statement made today by Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos Jr., consistent frontrunner in the vice presidential race in all pre-elections surveys, as he said he is clueless why the President is putting the blame on "two senators" why Congress failed to pass the BBL.

"Talaga namang nakapagtataka kung bakit ang sinsasabi, ang mga senador daw ang dahilan... Ni hindi ko alam kung bakit sa Senado isinisisi ang hindi pagkapasa ng BBL," he said in an interview over radio dzRH.

Speaking during the graduation rites of the Gabay Laya PMA (Philippine Military Academy) Class of 2016 in Baguio City last Sunday, Mr. Aquino held accountable two senators, obviously referring to Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile and Marcos, for the non-passage of the BBL.

Marcos, chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Government, wrote, filed, and sponsored the Basic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BLBAR), a substitute to the BBL.

The BLBAR was in the period of interpellation with Enrile propounding questions to Marcos when Congress adjourned last February 5.

Marcos said the Senate should not be blamed since the BBL is a bill of local application and the House of Representatives should approve it first and then transmit to the Senate for a similar approval of the chamber before senators could act on it.

"Ang nangyari, ayaw naman ng mga Kongresista (sa BBL). Kaya hindi sinisiputan kapag tinatawag sa BBL, walang quorum kaya hindi natapos. Walang na-transmit, 'ika nga, sa Senado," he said.

In the first place, he said, the BBL being pushed by Malacañang was being rejected because of issues on its constitutionality. This prompted him to file the substitute BLBAR.

"Talaga namang ang lahat ay ayaw ng BBL na pinipilit ng Palasyo. Ito'y unconstitutional at bukod pa roon ay hindi naman kapayapaan sa Muslim Mindanao kaya't maraming kumokontra. Kaya kami nag-file ng (BLBAR na) substitute bill na sa palagay ko ay tama, constitutional at inclusive sa lahat ng stakeholder sa Mindanao. Isinama ang lahat ng mga komentaryo ng lahat ng mga stakeholder para maging mas matagumpay ang Basic Law on Bangsamoro Autonomous Region," he said.

News Latest News Feed