Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 7) — A group of Islamic accountants and lawyers on Monday urged the Supreme Court to junk the ongoing petitions against the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) ahead of its scheduled plebiscite in Mindanao this year.
In its answer-in-intervention, the Philippine Association of Islamic Accountants, along with lawyers Atty. Nasser Marohomsalic and Manuelito Luna, asked the high court to uphold the constitutionality of the measure.
In its answer-in-intervention, Philippine Association of Islamic Accountants wants Supreme Court to junk petitions vs. Bangsamoro law, uphold its constitutionality | @anjocalimario pic.twitter.com/C1FCEenBIk
— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) January 7, 2019
They argued the law is a social justice legislation designed to empower the Bangsamoro people—letting them free from “unwarranted encroachment by the majority population of the country.”
The group added the law is designed to protect the religious minority.
“Kami po ay mag-intervene dito sa BOL na case na ito na finile ng province ng Sulu at kami at magsa-side sa gobyerno dahil kami ay naniniwala na ang BOL ay constitutional, legal at dapat para sa ating kapatid na Muslim sa Mindanao,” Luna said.
[Translation: We will intervene in this BOL case and petition filed by the province of Sulu. We will side with the government because we believe that the BOL is constitutional, legal, and made for our Muslim brothers and sisters in Mindanao.]
The Sulu provincial government, through its governor Abdusakur A. Tan II, in October filed a petition for certiorari and prohibition asking the high court to review the constitutionality of the measure.
Tan noted the province is “being coerced” to be part of the soon-to-be-established Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BAR) without consulting the stand of the majority.
Under the measure, Sulu is one of the provinces—regardless of the plebiscite results— automatically named part of the proposed region together with Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao and Tawi-Tawi.
In December, the Philippine Constitution Association also asked SC to issue a temporary restraining order on the ratification of the BOL, calling the measure unconstitutional.
During a speech in Zamboanga City on July 26, President Rodrigo Duterte announced he had signed the BOL, creating the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Mindanao. The region will take the place of the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
READ: The Bangsamoro Organic Law: Everything you need to know
Residents from other provinces and cities in Mindanao will, meanwhile, take part of a two-day plebiscite on January 21 and February 6 to determine which other areas will be part of the Bangsamoro region.
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Spokesperson James Jimenez said the poll body is all set for the referendum, which will happen in two weeks.
“We are ready for that. Right now we are entering the final phases of the information campaign, and augmentation teams will be flying into the area from Manila,” Jimenez said Monday.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Malacañang is for the implementation of the measure, but maintains it will respect the majority’s decision come plebiscite time.
“The people will have to decide on that. In those areas affected, sila pa rin magdedesisyon (they will still decide). We will have to respect the sovereign voice,” Panelo said in a media briefing Monday.
Biggest rally in Jolo, Sulu
Thousands of people and multi-sectoral groups, meanwhile, gathered in what is considered the biggest rally so far in Jolo, Sulu Monday, campaigning against the Bangsamoro law.
Protesters, who marched at the main thoroughfares of the town, included supporters of federalism, as well as the Royal Council of the Sulu Sultanate. They voiced out how the law is not the solution to the peace problems in Mindanao.
In a speech, Tan, who is running for governor anew in the midterm polls, said the BOL will only lead to division in the region. He also expressed support for the government’s proposed shift to federalism.
The BOL is the result of decades-long peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the Muslim rebel groups in Mindanao.
CNN Philippines Correspondents Anjo Alimario, Joyce Ilas, Digital Producer Alyssa Rola, and Stringer Marlon Pañares contributed to this report.
