13 senators signed as co-authors Drilon: Bangsamoro bill gets bipartisan support

MANILA-The Bangsamoro Basic Law draft is drawing a strong bipartisan support in the Senate, according to Senate President Franklin M. Drilon, with more than half of the senators including the four members of the minority group signing as co-authors of the bill.

“The BBL draft is getting broad support from both parties in the Senate. The minority bloc led by acting minority leader, Senator Vicento Sotto III signed as co-authors of the proposed measure,” said Drilon.

The BBL draft will be filed today. It will then be referred to the Senate Committee on Local Governance headed by Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  and the Senate Committee on Peace, Unification and Reconciliation chaired by Senator Teofisto Guingona III.

Drilon welcomed the minority bloc's acknowledgement of the BBL as a crucial instrument of peace and progress: "It only shows that the desire of peace knows no political color.”

"It is good to know that the majority of the senators support the quest for peace. The concept of having a new organic act that will establish the new Bangsamoro political entity seems acceptable to them,” said Drilon.

“With more people working on the BBL, we can better scrutinize every detail of the bill and ensure that every single word in the proposed measures will be reviewed, examined and debated upon,” underscored Drilon.

The Senate leader thus encouraged his colleagues to take an active role in the crafting of the BBL and devote time and effort to scrutinize the bill.

“We cannot afford to err on this most-sought piece of legislation. Our people won’t forgive us if we fail to pass it on time. It is therefore incumbent upon us to make sure that the efforts exerted by both panels will not be put in vain, by ensuring that the BBL we will debate upon will be in accordance with the Constitution and can withstand judicial scrutiny,” he emphasized.

Aside from Sotto and the minority bloc senators Nancy Binay, JV Ejercito and Gregorio Honasan, the other lawmakers who signed as co-authors include Senate Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, Senate Majority Leader Allan Peter Cayetano, Sen. Loren Legarda, Sen. Guingona, Sen. Francis Escudero, Se. Bam Aquino, Sen. Sonny Angara, and Sen. Pia Cayetano.