Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The original draft of the proposed Bangsamoro Law opens with a preamble, which sums up the measure’s purpose and fundamental principles.
The four-paragraph statement asserts the long history of the Bangsamoro people and their struggle for self-governance.
It took long hours of grueling negotiations before the peace panels agreed on the preamble’s text.
“When we finally settled on the text for the preamble, I saw people in tears. That’s how important certain symbolic matters are to them,” said Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, chair of the GPH peace panel.
While the House version of the Bangsamoro bill kept the preamble, the Senate version had it deleted.
So far, no explanation yet.
And the peace panels are not taking it well.
“When you negotiate something historical and something related to identity, there are certain aspects that are really more symbolic than substantial,” said Coronel-Ferrer.
“Can you imagine a man or a woman without a soul?” asked Mohagher Iqbal, chair of the MILF peace panel, trying to explain the importance of the preamble.
There are several other notable changes in the Senate version.
Under the definition of the Bangsamoro Identity, the reference to Sulu and Palawan were erased. Also deleted is the opt-in provision, which allows the expansion of the Bangsamoro area.
The entire provision defining “inland waters” such as lakes and rivers were stricken out. The 17-billion peso rehabilitation and development fund for conflict-torn communities in the Bangsamoro was also scrapped.
Another major amendment is the proposed composition of the parliament.
The original draft wants to give half of the 60 parliament seats to party-list representatives.
Proponents say this will allow sector-based groups to be a dominant voice in the Bangsamoro government, and at the same time, minimize the hold of political clans.
But the senate version seeks to empower district representatives, allocating only 8 seats for the partylist organizations.
“To a certain extent, that sort of defeats the purpose making the parliament more representative and democratic, than the usual system where the bulk comes from district representation,” said Coronel-Ferrer.
Senators will begin deliberating on their version of the Bangsamoro bill on Wednesday.
The peace panels are unsure whether the law could be passed by October, since both houses of Congress have yet to reconcile their versions of the bill.
Contrary to the Malacanang draft, the Senate committee report does not state that the first elections for the Bangsamoro government shall be conducted in May 2016.
“Medyo masikip, sa totoo lang, dahil alam kong maraming pag uusapan pang puntos so tingin ko, may oras, pero kelangan, medyo mabilis yung pagdebate dito at maganda yung leadership ng houses pagdating sa steering the bill on the floor deliberations,” said Sen. Sonny Angara.
They’ve waited this long—and peace negotiators say waiting a little more won’t hurt.
