HOW SHOULD we address the Bangsamoro question and resolve the decades-old Mindanao conflict? An all-out war narrative has been proven to be ineffective and so we have the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law or BBL, a peaceful alternative to war.
But we must remind our lawmakers not only of the necessity of passing a BBL, but of the utmost importance to enact a kind of BBL that substantially reflects and recognizes theĀ fundamental rights and freedoms of the Bangsamoro, the indigenous peoples, and all other inhabitants of Mindanao of their inherent right to self-determination and self-governance.Ā Denying them their inalienable right to chart their own political destiny andĀ govern themselves as a people in accordance with their distinct cultural identities, beliefs and traditions is to also deny an opportunity for the whole nation to once and for all heal the wounds of violent conflict and achieve genuine peace.
For numerous decades, our beloved country and its people have witnessed the exceptional savagery of armed conflict in Mindanao. The results were equally vicious: from the unending cycle of multiple displacement by hapless communities to depleting our nationās coffers with succeeding governments spending more on wars than basic social services. In all these battles, the most marginalized and vulnerable especially our women, children and the elderly, were made toĀ endure the profound and unceasing painsĀ of conflicts they never wished to be part of.
BBL, if enacted according to its intent and purpose, could finally unlock a smooth sailing peace process and social progress in the south. A product of a long-drawn peace negotiation, it should also serve as a ājustice instrumentā which can help in correcting historical injustices committed against the Bangsamoro people, the indigenous peoples, and other inhabitants of Mindanao ā injustices that continue to haunt them up to this day.
Mindanao stakeholders, however, are seriously worried of the possible enactment of a watered-down BBL that will not fully realize the aspirations of the Bangsamoro people and other inhabitants of Mindanao. AĀ diluted BBL could trigger more problems than provide solutions to the Bangsamoro question. If our lawmakers act as peace architects through the legislative process, they should know that they cannot build peace in Mindanao by having a substandard BBL.
The BBL must reflect the core principles of previous and current peace negotiations to the Bangsamoro. The status quo of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), at this point, is clearly insufficient to address the Bangsamoro problem. But we can retain andĀ build uponĀ the gains of the ARMMĀ towards the creating a moreĀ vibrant and progressiveĀ Bangsamoro region.
It would be dismaying to enact a new law that is dramatically less than what is already available. What we need is a social justice instrument that addresses the historical root causes of the centuries-old problem in the Bangsamoro.