"Signed na ang BBL," President Duterte said in his speech during the 69th Araw ng Ipil here on Thursday, July 26, 2018.
The President was supposed to sign the BOL before his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) last Monday, but change of leadership in the House of Representatives delayed the ratification of the bicameral conference committee version of the bill.
The House, under the leadership of new House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, ratified the BOL a day after the SONA. Arroyo replaced Pantaleon Alvarez.
The Senate unanimously approved the bicam report on Monday during the opening of the third regular session of the 17th Congress.
The BOL seeks to establish a new Bangsamoro political entity that would replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
The President said he still has to meet the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chairman Murad Ebrahim and vice chairman for political affairs Ghazali Jaafar for a "ceremony" in relation to the signed proposed measure.
Duterte likewise said that he would be willing to talk to Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founding chairman Nur Misuari to "create an autonomy" for him pending the implementation of a federal system of government.
"I'm trying to talk to everybody. I talked to the enemies of the state. I'm talking to Nur. Nur, if you are my brother Nur, if you are listening, I would like tot thank you for just -- narerendahan mo 'yung pwersa. Let us talk because we are old. Fighting is no longer an option for you and for me. Usap na lang tayo," Duterte said.
"To my brother Muslims and Christians, I really plead for peace. I do not want war. I cannot fight my own people," he added.
The President was supposed to sign the BOL during his third State of the Nation Address last Monday, but the House of Representatives failed to ratify the measure. The House ratified the reconciled version of the bill on Tuesday. [ Jelly Musico/PNA]
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