Why it pains Robin to support the BBL...

MANILA – Actor Robin Padilla revealed that it pains him to support the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), but he said this piece of legislation is necessary if Mindanao is to attain long-lasting peace.

Speaking to radio dzMM, Padilla asked for an apology from the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and its founding chairman Nur Misuari for his support of the BBL, a product of the peace talks between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

''Masakit po sa akin ang suportahan ang BBL, sapagkat ibig pong sabihin niyan, iyung aming ipinaglaban nung panahon na ako po ay malapit kay Nur Misuari - iyung ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) - ay mawawala na,'' Padilla said.

''Iyan po ay napakasakit sa akin, pero siyempre, bilang isang Muslim, kailangan po naming tumakbo papunta sa kung saan ang kapayapaan. Kaya't hinihingi ko ang pagkakataon na humingi ako ng paumanhin sa MNLF at kay chairman Nur Misuari."

Padilla once supported the peace talks between the MNLF and the government. Nur Misuari is opposing the MILF peace pact, which he said would effectively abrogate the 1996 final peace agreement with the MNLF.

The BBL seeks to create a new autonomous region that will replace the ARMM, which the Aquino administration has described as a ''failed experiment''.

BBL OBJECTIONS

While he supports the passage of the BBL, Padilla said he objects to some of the provisions of the proposed measure.

The actor was referring to the allocation of block grants to the proposed Bangsamoro region. He believes the block grants, which are also being given to the current ARMM, turned some once principled MNLF people into traditional politicians.

''Iyung pera, iyun po ang sinabi ko sa kanila. Sabi ko, 'nung panahon ng ARMM, ang naging problema natin, pera. Napag-interesan ang pera, nawala ang mga rebolusyonaryo, napalitan ng mga traditional politician. Sila na ang nakikinabang sa budget,'' Padilla said.

''Iyun ang sinasabi ko nung nag-usap kami. Hindi kaya ang mangyari sa atin eh ganito rin?" he added, referring to members of the Anak Mindanao party-list group who told him about the BBL.

Padilla said what he likes about the BBL is its acknowledgment of the Sharia Law.

''Iyun ang isang bagay na aking niyakap. Hindi na po bago sa atin ang Sharia law. Itong Sharia law ay matagal nang nakapaloob sa batas ng Pilipinas at sa Konstitusyon."

Padilla added that while he respects the right of Congress to amend the BBL, he said they should not revise it to a point that it will have no value for the Bangsamoro people.

''Sana kung may watered-down [version] eh sana hindi naman po iyung parang inaasar natin ang MILF,'' he said.

NO TO WAR AGAIN

He said he dreads to see the day that Mindanao will once again be plagued with violence due to the possibility that the BBL will not be passed in its current form.

MILF leaders have expressed opposition to the possible watering down of the BBL amid concerns by various lawmakers that it will not withstand judicial scrutiny because of its supposed unconstitutional provisions.

There are now fears that violence could escalate in Mindanao if the government fails to come up with a BBL that would please the Moro group.

The sincerity of the MILF has been questioned after its fighters and other lawless elements killed 44 elite police commandos in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last January 25. The slain cops were at that time carrying out an operation to neutralize Malaysian bomb maker Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan.

''Pagka nangyari iyan, isa po ako sa makikiusap sa MILF na hindi po sana mapunta sa giyera ito. Sapagkat hindi po natin afford ngayon ang giyera,'' Padilla said.

WORD WAR WITH CAYETANO

The actor also addressed the allegations of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano that the reason why he called out the senator was due to his ties with the Tiñgas in Taguig.

''Ako po ay napag-bintangan, at ipinukol sa akin na ako ay namumulitika,'' Padilla said.

''Anong ebidensya niyo na ako ay namumulitika?"

Padilla earlier criticized some lawmakers, singling out Cayetano, for their stance on the BBL. The actor encouraged lawmakers to carefully study the history of the Bangsamoros before giving their respective opinions.

In response, Cayetano said Padilla's comment was politically motivated, saying the latter was a supporter of Rica Tiñga, who was defeated by the senator's wife, Lani Cayetano, in the 2013 mayoral elections in Taguig.

Padilla admitted attending one of Tiñga's campaign events, but he said it was only a favor for his wife's sibling.

''Ako po ay nandon, hindi ko tinatanggi. Ang sabi ko po, sana pinakinggan ng senador ang ating talumpati. Pinaliwanag ko na nandoon ako dahil ang aking asawa ay may kapatid, at ang kapatid niya ay sumusuporta kay Rica Tiñga,'' he said.

''At dahil nandoon ako, ipinaliwanag ko ang advocacy noon - iyung political dynasty at pork barrel."

The actor also took offense over Cayetano's statement that the senator was anti-Muslim. He added that he never received money or favors from any politician.

Source +ABS-CBN News 

Tagged +ABS-CBN News 

Share this: