TACLOBAN CITY- Members of the Muslim community based in the city are calling members of Congress to speed up for the approval of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).
This measure should be approved by Congress as this will give them the framework wherein they could carve their own address their own problems. Abdullatiph Abeth, an “imam,” of the Muslim community in Tacloban, said that Mindanao stability and economic viability is now critical and BBL offers one of the best hopes for the local democracy and peace of the entire Mindanao region.
This assertion of Abeth was shared by another Muslim leader, Akil Tanggo, who said that the BBL could just be the key for them to achieve lasting peace and development.
“We are Muslims. We are from that place and we experienced the harshness of life living in Mindanao with full of terror and chaos,’ Tanggo said in an interview.
“We are appealing to our dear congressmen and senators, especially to Sens. Bongbong Marcos and Allan Peter Cayetano to help us for the (passage of the) BBL…” he said.
He also appeals to the solons not to water down the BBL version by amending some of the “important provisions” of the proposed law which include having their own sharia law.
Meantime, Leyte Vice Governor Carlo Loreto expressed his support for the approval of the BBL saying this could lead to development and stability in Mindanao.
The Aquino administration according to Loreto has been trying to pursue peace and prevent corruption in Mindanao and what the people believe, in a democracy such as ours is important according to Loreto. “We cannot really be peacemakers unless we seek to protect the lives and dignity of people. We must stand up for human life wherever it is threatened and this is the essence and starting point for a genuine peace in Mindanao,” Loreto said. (JAZMIN BONIFACIO)
