THOSE who are opposing the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) are doing so for various reasons, two of which are: 1) outright opposition to the creation of a BBL entity, and 2) opposition to the proposed BBL as written.
Just this week I posted my own survey on Facebook, asking people to answer “Yes” or “No” to the question, “Pabor ba kayo sa BBL?” (are you in favor of BBL?) I also shared the post in two pages of which I was a member.
The post on my wall alone generated more than 200 replies/comments, with only less than ten people saying they were in favor of the BBL.
My post in the other pages elicited the same responses showing opposition to the BBL, with only one or two telling yes, or asking people to give BBL a chance.
During my interview with Bishop Martin Jumoad of Basilan in December last year, he clearly manifested opposition to the measure primarily because of his apprehensions about the governance by the people who will lead the Bangsamoro entity and even the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
In an earlier interview with Vice-Governor Sakur Tan of Sulu, in September, he expressed the same opposition for various reasons, particularly in the renaming of the Sulu Sea to Bangsamoro waters.
He gave me a hard copy of the Sulu Government’s comments to many provisions.
After my article came out in this paper, he was quick to write to correct me, saying that he was not anti-BBL.
He attached a manifesto of support for the government’s peace initiatives signed by 17 out of 19 mayors of Sulu.
The mayors might be supportive of the peace efforts but there was no clear expression of support for the BBL in the manifesto.
In subsequent interviews, Governor Abdusakur Tan (the son) and Vice-Governor Abdusakur Tan (the father) have become careful in their public pronouncements, saying they are not against the BBL per se but against some provisions in the proposed law.
It is clear to the people who are listening, though, by the pronouncements of both father and son, that if referendum were to be conducted today, they would definitely vote against the BBL. BEEN THERE DONE THAT/JOSEPHINE JARON-CODILLA
