House ratifies Bangsamoro Law

“The measure provides for the addition of Shari’ah high, district, and circuit courts.

The House of Representatives sent the signal it is business as usual under “new” Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as it ratified the bicameral conference committee report on the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).

“As I intend to carry out the legislative agenda of President Rodrigo Duterte, we will ratify the Bangsamoro Organic Law today,” Arroyo said before the start of the session.

President Duterte was expected to sign the BOL before his third State of the Nation Address (SoNA) on Monday but it was only the Senate that was able to approve the bicam report on the BOL.

The lower chamber failed to ratify the landmark measure during the opening of the third regular session following a leadership shakeup.

The measure seeks to create a new Bangsamoro political entity that would replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The bicameral panel approved the reconciled version of the BOL last July 18 after six days of marathon hearings.

The bill provides for the 75-25 wealth-sharing term in favor of the Bangsamoro.

In the Senate, Majority Floor Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri yesterday expressed elation over the ratification of the law by the House.

“I am overjoyed at the House of Representatives’ decision to prioritize the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, making it their first order of business during today’s session despite ongoing concerns in their leadership,” said Zubiri.

During the SoNA, Duterte promised to sign the BOL within 48 hours after its ratification.

The bicameral committee conducted more than a week of consultations, witnessed by top leaders of the MILF led by Chairman Al Haj Murad Ibrahim and Vice Chairman Ghadzali Jaafar, before coming up with a reconciled version.

Jaafar said the MILF is happy with the positive development despite the intramurals in the House of Representatives.

“Of course, we are happy because our beloved President will definitely sign it, that is what he is advocating, the establishment of Bangsamoro government that’s what he promised,” said Jaafar.

The MILF vice chair also said that their men on the ground would be happy with the ratification and upcoming signing of the BOL.

“This ratification by the Congress of the Philippines of the BBL would mean the establishment of a Bangsamoro government for us, and the coming in of this Bangsamoro government would mean the coming in of a just and dignified peace in our place,” said Jaafar.

The law increases the share of the Bangsamoro in government tax revenues by 5 percent compared with the current 70 percent being received by the ARMM from national internal revenue taxes, fees, and charges, as well as taxes imposed on natural resources.

The automatic allocation of the annual block grant for the Bangsamoro region has been adopted by the committee.

This is equivalent to 5 percent of the net national internal revenue of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs.

The national government will allocate P5 billion to the Bangsamoro annually for a period of 10 years. This is equivalent to P50 billion for the entire implementation. The amount will be used for the rehabilitation of conflict-affected areas within the region.

The bicameral committee adopted the provision covering the Bangsamoro justice system, which includes the creation of the Shari’ah High Court.

The measure provides for the addition of Shari’ah high, district, and circuit courts to regular courts within the territorial jurisdiction of the Bangsamoro.

The committee also agreed to have the Bangsamoro government and national government jointly explore, develop, and utilize fossil fuels and uranium in the new region.

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