‘Shining ray of hope’ in South

Malacañang hailed the Bangsamoro Organic Law’s (BOL) ratification as shining a “ray of hope” in Mindanao.

President Rodrigo Duterte is slated to create the 80-member Bangsamoro Transition Authority at the soonest possible time

“The sovereign voice of voters in the just concluded plebiscite has spoken, ushering a ray of hope to that war-weary, poverty-stricken, long neglected and much heralded promised land,” presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said.

In a statement, Panelo urged the “discordant voices” to yield to the rule of the majority.

More than 1.5 million residents of seven areas in Mindanao voted “Yes” to the ratification of the BOL in the plebiscite held last 21 January.

“The BOL has been officially ratified. It behooves the discordant voices to yield to the rule of the majority,” he added.

With its ratification, the BOL paves the way for the formation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) that will replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), with President Rodrigo Duterte slated to create the 80-member Bangsamoro Transition Authority at the soonest possible time.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front will be heading the said body, which in turn will serve as the interim government of the BARMM, pending the Supreme Court’s (SC) ruling regarding its legality and constitutionality.

The BARMM will be in place as soon as the President constitutes the 80-member Bangsamoro Transition Authority that will oversee the region’s interim government.

Panelo said the forming of the BARMM is certain unless the SC favors the petition questioning the constitutionality of the BOL.

“The ruling however remains in the realm of imponderables. We cannot be waylaid in the race to peace and progress,” he stated.

Establishing the BARMM, the official expressed, will also help correct generations of “historical injustices” committed against the Moro people.

“The quest to lasting peace in that region saw not only the bloody encounters among the Muslim combatants but other conflicts as well, giving birth to more armed groups and violent hostilities affecting the Bangsamoro people and the Christian inhabitants,” Panelo stated.

“To the credit of the Muslim warriors, they made way to another thrust for the elusive peace as they participated in a democratic process weighing in their collective voice,” he added.

As a new day dawns in Mindanao, Panelo called on the people to extend their support and cooperation to the new government and for its leaders, in turn, to live by their sworn oath.

“We look forward to another orderly plebiscite in the provinces of Lanao del Norte and North Cotabato on 6 February even as we await with enthusiasm a favorable result,” Panelo said.

Panelo added all stakeholders must cooperate to craft an autonomous government that will be responsive to the needs of the Bangsamoro people within the jurisdiction of BARMM.

“We urge the people in the BARMM to give their new leaders their support and cooperation but at the same time we implore them to be vigilant and assertive of their rights,” Panelo said.

The Palace official also called on the mandated leaders to be true “to their oaths of office.”

Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr., for his part, described the ratification of the BOL as “justice to the people who took the ultimate sacrifices.”

“The BOL is an instrument that can help heal the wounds of past injustices. The BOL is our bridge to an enduring peace and sustainable development for the next generations,” Galvez said.

“A bright new dawn emerges in Mindanao with the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law. The era of war has finally ended,” he added.

However, he said much work still needs to be done to ensure a smooth transition and the formal establishment of the BARMM.

Echoing Panelo, Galvez also urged stakeholders to work collectively for the success of the new Bangsamoro autonomous government.

“This is our chance as a people to unite in writing the peaceful narrative of the Bangsamoro.

With joint hearts and minds, we can build a peaceful, just and progressive Mindanao,” he said.

“As we progress, I call on everyone to sustain the gains we have achieved in the peace process,” he added.