By Mario Casayuran
Former Chief Justice Hilario G. Davide Jr. said today the proposed creation of a Bangsamoro region through the passage by Congress of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) would be a test case for the formation of a federal form of government.
Former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. (left) (Czar Dancel / MANILA BULLETIN)
Davide issued this statement after President Duterte said that he sees the BBL and a federal form of government as solution to the peace problem in Mindanao because the current unitary form of government failed on this important issue.
Queried after appearing in a public hearing conducted by the Senate constitutional amendments committee, Davide said the BBL could be a model or test case.
‘’I have always maintained as early as the 16th Congress that the BBL may be a model for a federal form of government. We must have a test case or a model,’’ he said.
‘’If it succeeds, we can adopt a federal form all throughout the country. if it fails, there is no sense doing it,’’ he told Senate reporters after appearing before the Senate committee chaired by Sen. Francis Pangilinan.