Philconsa and its copetitioners are plainly obstructive in asking the Supreme Court to declare repugnant and unconstitutional the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (which was signed in Malacañang in March 2014) and the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro, even as Congress is deliberating on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) to ensure its constitutional validity and full effectiveness.
Many more know and believe in the valid and timely role of the proposed BBL in achieving genuine regional autonomy and lasting peace with justice for our Moro brothers and sisters and indigenous peoples in the Bangsamoro; and lasting peace and continuing development in all of Mindanao.
It has taken over 17 years of conflict and peace and regional autonomy talks to reach the present level of progress. Congress is doing its utmost to get the proposed BBL enacted. The BBL will establish an autonomous Bangsamoro region to replace the failed Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
What has the Philconsa done lately to help build a functional democracy and promote good governance under our 1987 Constitution?
—DR. JOSE V. ABUEVA,
University of the Philippines professor emeritus of political science and public administration, advocate of Bangsamoro and Federal-Parliamentary Democracy, a co-organizer of the Centrist Democratic Party-Partido ng Tunay na Demokrasya