PEACE FORUM ON BBL

A forum on the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) with the ARMM officials and employees was conducted last April 26 in Cotabato City.

It aimed to engage the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao employees, particularly those who are critical of the Bangsamoro government as prescribed in the BBL once the ARMM is replaced; to clarify misconceptions of dissolutions; to provide information on the transition phase; and to generate a constituency of supportive communities to the Bangsamoro Peace Process.

During the forum, Atty. Raissa Jajurie, Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) commissioner, answered questions from participants concerning the transition and possible changes in the regional bureaucracy.

BTC Commissioner Mohagher Iqbal, chairman of the MILF Peace Implementing Panel, said the BTC will help facilitate the transition of the present autonomous political set-up to what is set to replace it after the passage of the BBL.

He said they will also be on hand to assist the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) is being selected.

For his part, ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman said the regional government is now making necessary preparation for the transition to the Bangsamoro political entity.

He said he has ordered all ARMM agencies, including the locally created offices, to prepare the documents and reports that will be turned over to the BTA.

The forum was organized by the Forum Civil Peace Service (ForumZFD), a German International Non-Government Organization (INGO), in partnership with the KuMuNet (Kutawato Multimedia Network), and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.  (Bureau of Public Information – ARMM/MINDANAO EXPOSE’)