He said the inclusion of such provision is needed to allay fears that the BBL will be used to separate the Bangsamoro entity from the country.
“Kailangan nating ilagay dahil baka nangangamba na ito ay hakbang sa paghihiwalay ng Bangsamoro sa Pilipinas,” Marcos said in a phone interview with reporters Thursday.
Marcos said the same provision is stated in Article III, Section 1 of the Organic Act, which created the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
The provision states: “Integral Part of the Republic. – The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao shall remain an integral and inseparable part of the national territory of the Republic as defined by the Constitution and existing laws.”
Marcos, chairman of the committee on local government discussing BBL, said he asked the peace panel why such provision was not included in the draft BBL. He said the panel told him there is no need to because the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has no plan of separating from the Philippines.
“Ang sabi ng peace panel, hindi naman daw kailangan, hindi naman daw nila planong gawin kaya there is no need to put it. Parang wala naman daw tayong tiwala sa MILF sa kanilang pangako,” he said.
“Sinasabi ko na kung yan ang balak nila, bakit hindi na lang natin ilagay. It will increase the confidence of people in the BBL at yan ang isa sa inaalala ng tao. Tanggalin na natin ang worry na yun to make it easier for us to show that the BBL is really advantageous to the Republic,” Marcos added.
The senator said the inclusion would result to one less issue that the peace panel and lawmakers will debate on.
“Imbes na pagdedebatehan pa natin yun, kung talaga namang walang balak na gawin yun ng MILF, eh di ilagay na rin natin. Hindi na natin kailangang pag-usapan and we can talk about the other things that we need to talk about,” he said.
Marcos said he will propose it as a committee amendment.
“I think it is something that is important enough. Pag batas, ang kailangan mong gawin you have to prepare for any eventuality,” he said.
The BBL is the embodiment of the peace agreement signed by the MILF and the government. It seeks to create a Bangsamoro political entity that will replace the ARMM. — KBK, GMA News
