What BOL also means

As the clock ticks going to Tuesday’s plebiscite, Moros wait with bated breath. Anxiety and fear overwhelm them. They cross their fingers hoping against hope the Supreme Court (SC) will refrain from issuing an injunctive order. As we go to print, guarded optimism prevails over Morolandia.

There are less discussed significance of the law.

The Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) is not just your run-of-the-mill law deconcentrating power of the central government, nor a measure granting wide administrative autonomy to a marginalized people of a peculiar religion, culture and practices. It is also not just a law defining the parameters of powers of a nominal sub-state vis-a-vis national government. Nor a visionary peace policy that will hopefully put finis to the decades-old struggle of the Bangsamoro for justice, equality and fair treatment from “imperial Manila.” The law is all about that, and many more.

The BOL is a categorical softening of a hardline mindset of distrust and condescension that defined the relationship between Moros and the non-Moro majority for decades. For the longest time, they looked upon the Moro as the bogeyman, an abomination whose religion justifies suicide bombings and the mayhem of innocents, just because of the terrorism committed by Daesh jihadists.

There was pessimism about the fate of the bill because of the deep-seated prejudice of many borne out of historical proclivity of a Moro to violence. Banditry and lawlessness of the few have been unfairly judged as the common brand of Moros.

Now that it has passed the legislative gauntlet, it would be premature for Moros to yet play the kulintang and gong ensembles and dance the singkil for celebration. The last hurdle — plebiscite — is a as tough as the congressional vetting. Hardline oppositors, including self-proclaimed guardians of the Constitution sought the SC to stymie implementation of the law. The forest is thick and dark and behind the foliage lurks the bigots.

The stipulated pledge of decommissioning and surrender of war material and hardware by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters should be implemented posthaste in all sincerity. They must comply with their part of the bargain. The Moro should leave no room for doubt that, as a party to a peace deal, they are compliant and deviation from terms of the pact is un-Islamic. (During the crusade of the Prophet Mohamad, PBUH, he contracted peace pacts which he treated as sacrosanct.)

The Moros must show that they deserve the trust of government and the hope for peace by the non-Moro majority. With the realization of their dream of less interference by the state of their political, cultural and religious affairs, they must prove to the cynics and Cassandras that their fear of the BOL as a baby step towards merdeka or independence is unfounded.

The MILF must show that the benefits of autonomy are inclusive and that no tribe or indigenous people will be left out nor discriminated against. They must prove that it is not a BOL for the MILF alone but also for the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), lumad and for everybody. While it is given that it was mainly through their bloody struggle and political maneuver that the law saw fruition, yet many Moros have always looked upon them as their representative, just as the MNLF represented them in the earlier struggle that culminated in the peace pact with President Ramos in 1996.

The 21 January plebiscite is a crucial test for the Moros, especially the question on territorial coverage of the autonomy. Majority of the present territories of the ARMM will embrace easily the new political entity. But there will be problems in Sulu and Cotabato City where their political leaders have manifested opposition just as there will be problems with the barangays in North Cotabato and the towns of Lanao del Norte which the law envisions to include.

This early, the autonomists MILF should show humility in their impending victory and embrace even those identified as oppositors.

Finally, the BOL is a step towards the promise of better Philippine society where people of different creeds and persuasions, in an atmosphere of unity in diversity, shares common national vision for a better tomorrow.

Let us minimize the meaning of “them” and instead push for the definition of all-embracing “us.”