Senator Aquilino Pimentel III has promised to be active in the discussions on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).
Salic Ibrahim, Maranao People Development Center executive director, bared this news after meeting with the senator in Manila recently.
“Senator Pimentel, as a senator from Mindanao, has admitted that he needs to know the sentiments of his constituents as the proposal is expected to provide peace and development for Mindanao,” said Ibrahim, whose organization has been active in promoting dialogues to ensure that the public, particularly the political leaders, will realize the importance of the proposal.
The proposed basic law, a fruit of nearly two decades of negotiations between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The BBL is among the most urgent proposals discussed before the two Houses of Congress.
Ibrahim said he intimated to Pimentel that the proposal, a peace formula, “needs an advocate who will be able to articulate the issues surrounding it before the legislature”.
He added that Pimentel, whose namesake father is known for pushing issues concerning Mindanao when he was still in government, “fits the bill because of his background, having lived in Cagayan de Oro, a premier Northern Mindanao”.
“We expect Sen. Pimentel to be our champion in the Senate for BBL; he is from Mindanao, his heart is for Mindanao, and he knows Mindanao by heart,” Salic added.