MANILA - The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will be holding on to their weapons should the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) not be passed.

Government peace panel chairman Miriam Ferrer told reporters that the decomissioning of MILF weapons is contingent on the passage of the BBL.

An initial batch of MILF weapons and combatants were decommissioned last year as part of a ceremonial process. There has been no follow-up ever since.

Decommissioned MILF weapons are supposed to be turned over to an independent decommissioning body.

"Mapo-postpone yan kasi ang next phase ng ating decommissioning matapos 'yung ceremonial ay mula sa pagpasa ng batas hanggang plebisito. So kung hindi mapapasa ang batas medyo maantala ang decommissioning program natin, so inaasahan natin na yung ibang bahagi matuloy," Ferrer said.

"Itong next 30 percent ang next phase at libo-libo na ang pinag-uusapan natin dyan na weapons atsaka combatants kaya naman naghahanda na ang ating decommissioning body kasi baka naman matuloy pa hindi ba? Kapag nautloy iyan, talagang mabilisan iyan na mangyayari."

Asked if the stalling of the BBL, which has resulted in the delays in the decommissioning process, is a cause for concern, Ferrer said, "Syempre kasi yun naman ang isang layunin dito na masipol yung mga illegal weapons at hindi lang ng MILF na voluntary na ituturn-in kundi dun sa mga armadong grupo kaya't may programa din tayo dun para sa ibang armadong grupo pa."

PEACE CARAVAN

Ferrer spoke to media at the kickoff for the peace caravan from the Batasang Pambansa to the Senate to press for the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law.

The peace caravan is batting for the passage of a BBL that is based on the comprehensive agreement signed by the Aquino administration and the MILF last year.

However, the House of Representatives has made 40 amendments, including some 28 outright deletions, to the proposed Bangsamoro law.

Ferrer believes that despite this development, the bill pending in the Lower House will keep the essence of the BBL.

"Iyung mga binabanggit na yun, dati na yun eh. Ito na yung pinag-uusapan noon pa during the period of interpellation. May ibang parts doon ok naman kasi inayos nila yung malabo ang ibig sabihin. So, in all, basically a few more amendments here and there, I think maki-keep natin yung malaking essence ng panukalang batas,'' she said.

Ferrer also said she believes the House version of the bill is better than the Senate's.

"Unang una na yung usapin ng parliamentary form of government. At saka yung fiscal autonomy. maraming measures doon eh. I think, sa kalahatan, yung House version ay mas maganda kaysa sa Senate version,'' she said.

"A few more amendments sa ilang powers kaugnay ng natural resources, I think yung pinaka-essence maki-keep niya."

Ferrer made a pitch for the controversial opt-in provision which has been deleted.

READ: Law dean: BBL's 'opt-in' provision violates charter

The provision would have allowed 10 percent of registered voters in areas contiguous to the core Bangsamoro area to petition the Commission on Elections for a plebiscite that will allow them to join the Bangsamoro.

"Iyung opt-in provision alam natin controversial iyan. Basta ang punto lang naman diyan huwag naman sabihin hindi na pwede baguhin. Maglagay lang ng konting clarification kung paano pwede magkaroon ng pagbabago doon sa scope ng Bangsamoro just like any other local government hindi ba?" she said.

''Hindi naman fixed yung borders ng lahat ng local governments. I think the Constitution provides a way. Baka ganun yung lalabas na compromise arrangement diyan. Iyung opt-in provision we acknowledge it has been very controversial."

'NO RETURN TO ARMM'

Meanwhile, Anak Mindanao (AMIN) party-list Rep. Sitti Djalia A. Turabin-Hataman said she is prepared to vote against the measure if it will amount to a Bangsamoro with less powers than the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

''Ako, if it's less than the ARMM, if its not consistent with the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), I'd say No, I'd vote No,'' she said.

"Kasi ang amendments ngayon, ang iba sa mga amendments ngayon ay geared towards bringing back the bill to maging consistent siya sa CAB,'' she said.

''Nasa committee pa lang nagkaroon na tayo ng amendments. Iyung mga nakasalang ngayon, I think both meron amendments that would lessen the bill and amendments that would strengthen the bill. Pinag-aaralan din. Well, iyung nilabas natin ay talagang less than what we had expected."

Turabin-Hataman maintained her preference for a bill that is closer to what was agreed upon in the peace agreement.

''Mahirap hong sabihin yun but we had always been consistent in saying we don't want a law which is less than the ARMM," she said.

Turabin-Hataman called on her colleagues to pass the BBL that is not watered down.

"Unang una, para saan po ba yung batas. It's really not just about having a law passed but the law that will respond to our aspirations. It's not just about our aspirations but if you really look at it, kung ano yung kailangan for us to survive as a people,'' she said.

Turabin-Hataman admitted time is running out for the BBL.

"Alam natin medyo konti kaya we're really hoping at this point in time for us who are pushing for the bill – it's not for us to say we don't have time anymore. In fairness naman sa leadership, we've seen naman talaga the efforts na talagang magkaroon tayo ng quorum kasi yung quorum issue, hindi lang naman ito dahil sa BBL. Hindi lang BBL yung naapektuhan, marami pa tayong ibang mga batas na importante, so nananawagan ho tayo sa mga kapwa natin legislators na sana naman ho eh huwag nating aksayahin itong mga natitirang panahon na magserbisyo pa rin tayo para sa bayan,'' she said.

The House plenary adjourned session Monday without tackling the BBL because it failed to muster a quorum.

''Ang usapan, quorum. Kasi kung walang quorum, wala talagang mangyayari. So ang punto lang din naman namin, basta sana matapos yung process, kung ayaw nila, vote against it. Ang mahirap pag wala sila,'' Ferrer said.

"Kapag absent, it will not get that far. Iyung accountability doon, yung responsibility to see through legislation, whether for or against na-express nila ng maayos. Hindi yung sa labas, hindi naman pumapasok sa loob ng Kongreso.

FALLOUT

Ferrer, however, said there are concerns about what the MILF might do should the BBL not get passed.

"Maganda yung sinasabi nila na we'll stay the course of peace pero paano iyan, ano ang adjustment sa road map? Kailangan maayos iyan kasi napakahirap, maski na yung leadership may ganitong commitment, may fallout na mangyari at iyon ang iniiwasan natin. Kasi yung fallout na yan, baka saan pa mapunta. Eh ayaw naman natin magkagulo pa tayo," she said.

Ferrer also called on lawmakers not to let the reopening of the Mamasapano reinvestigation in the Senate affect the vote on the BBL.

"I think yung discourse, medyo labu-labo din eh kaugnay niyan but definitely, kung talagang dadaanan iyan ng Kongreso, ng Senado then let's get it over with kasi ang sinasabi natin, mas malaking problema yung inaayos natin dito sa Bangsamoro Basic Law,'' she said.

''So sana, hindi naman nakatali doon iyong hustisyang hinahanap, iyung katotohanang hinahanap sa Mamasapano. Importante iyan, may sariling proseso diyan. Huwag naman sanang masakripisyo yung pangmalakihang kapayapaan sa Mindanao.

"Let's wait and see kasi iyun yung malaking bagay diyan, worth it ba na buksan iyan tapos wala naman lalabas na bago so tignan natin kung anong mangyayari diyan."