The Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) which is known officially as Republic Act 11054 or the Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (OLBARMM) did not have the signature of Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo that may make the law defective but which former Senate President Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel can be remedied administratively.

Pimentel said President Rodrigo Duterte may have to sign a new document for the law to become effective.

“It’s not a problem that cannot be solved because it is easy to reproduce copies of documents these days. And the office of Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea can easily recall the copies not signed by other officials,” Pimentel told regional news outfit Mindanews.

“Replace them with properly signed ones. It’s not a fatal mistake that cannot be corrected by authorities concerned,” he added.

Arroyo replaced Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez as Speaker in a hostile takeover at the House of Representatives on the day of Mr. Duterte’s State of the Nation Address (SoNA) last 23 July.

The BOL document, however, showed the law was signed by Mr. Duterte on 27 July and already had Mrs. Arroyo written as Speaker but without her signature.

According to Congress rules, bills transmitted to the President for his approval must be “signed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and certified by both the secretary of the Senate and the secretary general of the House.”

The document only had the signatures of Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Senate secretary Myra Marie D. Villarica and House secretary-general Cesar Strait Pareja and the President.

“It is possible to have the omission corrected administratively and have those who forwarded the defective bill sanctioned,” Pimentel added.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.