Zamboanga City still wary of joining envisioned Bangsamoro
ZAMBOANGA CITY — Mayor Isabelle Climaco-Salazar on Friday told the Senate subcommittee on the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) that the city here remains opposed to the possibility of its inclusion in the envisioned Bangsamoro region.
In a statement read during the public consultation on the BBL, Climaco said that “the city should never form part, nor be included, in the Bangsamoro — now or ever.”
Under the draft BBL submitted by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) to Congress, Zamboanga City is not included in the envisioned territory.
A provision, however, allows other contiguous areas to join the Bangsamoro provided that there is a resolution of the local government unit or a petition of at least 10 percent of the registered voters in the area asking for their inclusion.
Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, who led the Senate hearing on the BBL, acknowledged that the 10-percent threshold proposed by the BTC is too low. He said the Senate is considering increasing it to 30 percent.
Climaco pointed out that Zamboanga City has twice rejected its inclusion in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. The envisioned Bangsamoro region replaces the ARMM if the BBL is passed into law.
“The BBL should be inclusive, not isolative of all groups, peoples, and stakeholders to act forward in espousing meaningful, lasting peace and prosperity in Mindanao, and should abhor conflicts,” the Zamboanga City mayor said.
She said Congress should pass a BBL not only “for mere appeasement.” She said the BBL should treat every Mindanaoan “on even keel” and should respect the “sovereignty and the territorial integrity” of the Philippines.
For Climaco, a provision in the Expanded ARMM Law in 2001 which allowed the ARMM to possess land and buildings outside its covered area should first be resolved before the BBL is enacted.
Climaco further said that the inclusion of Zamboanga could affect the lives of more than 30,000 sardine industry workers if they will be covered by the expansion of the waters of the Bangsamoro territory.
Zamboanga City Representative Celso Lobregat and Manuel Jose Dalipe, meanwhile, pushed for safeguards in the proposed law.
“I am not anti-peace and personally, I want the autonomous region to succeed and develop. Because if it succeeds and develops, we will have peace in Mindanao,” Lobregat said.
Dalipe said Congress should pass a law that “will make everybody comfortable.” — RSJ, GMA News