The Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) members and Congress leaders will discuss with President Rodrigo Duterte later on Monday how to reconcile the contentious provisions under the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).
House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fari帽as bared this in an ambush interview after the lower chamber鈥檚 brief all-member caucus Monday afternoon.
鈥溾�榊ung mga contentious portions, we agreed kung sino yung mga affected areas or persons dadalhin namin kay Presidente mamaya, para makausap namin si President because we have to admit na the negotiation process, the peace process kasi on the part of the government of the Republic of the Philippines, when you say GRP, executive 鈥榶un, hindi naman kasama ang legislative,鈥� Fari帽as told reporters.
The House leader said he, together with House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, BTC members, Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, would meet the President.
Amendments
Fari帽as refused to discuss specific amendments on House Bill (HB) 6475, the Chamber鈥檚 version of BBL, but he said the BTC 鈥渁greed to several of the amendments proposed.鈥�
鈥淲e agreed that鈥攊n fairness to the BTC, they agreed naman to several of the amendments proposed. I鈥檓 working kasi on the draft presented by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission. May mga amendments, karamihan naman na-accept,鈥� he said.
But he mentioned that the BTC agreed that the Autonomous Region of Bangsamoro (ARB) would remain concurrent with the national government, and the Bangsamoro police would still be under the Philippine National Police.
Fari帽as said both camps have yet to agree on the opt-in and fiscal autonomy provisions of the BBL.
After the meeting with Duterte and once he certifies BBL as urgent, Fari帽as said the lower house would pass BBL on second and final reading on Tuesday, the second to the last day of sessions before Congress adjourns sine die on June 1. /vvp