DAVAO CITY (January 19) —President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Friday, January 18, asked the residents of the present Autonomous Regiona in Muslim Mindanao to vote “yes” to the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) in the upcoming plebiscite.
In his speech before thousands of residents at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex (SKCC), Office of the Regional Governor (ORG) Compound, Cotabato City, Duterte convinced, “I am therefore issuing this call to my fellow Moros: Let us use this plebiscite as a peaceful means to finally correct the historical injustices committed against the Bangsamoro — or the Moro people.”
Duterte was in Cotabato City for the Peace Assembly for the Ratification of Republic Act No. 11054 or the Bangsamoro Organic .
The crowd came from the communities of the present Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Cotabato City, Isabela City, some parts of Lanao del Norte, and North Cotabato, they will cast their votes of teh fate of the Bangsamoro Organic Law in two days.
Duterte said that the people’s approval of the BOL “Will not just serve as an expression of your desire to end more than half a century of armed struggle in the region. It will also serve as a testament to your determination to bring genuine peace and development in Muslim Mindanao through an autonomous government that truly represents and understands the needs of its people.”
“Magboto kayo ng yes,” he stressed.
Ratifying the BOL would pave the way for fair and just distribution of land and resources in Mindanao and eventually achieve lasting peace, the President stressed..
Duterte also allayed fears that the BOL may not help resolve the decades-long conflict in Mindanao, citing the law as the product of a “long and rigorous process” involving “meaningful and exhaustive” consultations with Mindanao stakeholders particularly the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
“I am thus proud to say that the BOL has undergone comprehensive analysis and thorough review to ensure that once implemented, it will lead to better governance, inclusive political empowerment, and enhanced systems for transparency and accountability,” he said.
“I am very hopeful that with the ratification of the BOL, Mindanao can finally enjoy lasting peace and inclusive progress that will benefit you and I” he added.
In 2018, Duterte signed into law the Bangsamoro Organic Law or RA No. 11054, “an act providing for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), replacing the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).”-Editha Z. Caduaya/NewsLine.ph
