By Ali Macabalang
COTABATO CITY – Thousands of Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) advocates went on a motorcade around this city, Friday, to mark the start of the campaign period for the plebiscite that would ratify the landmark legislation that would lead to the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
(screengrabbed from UBJP Facebook video / MANILA BULLETIN)
About 1,800 motorcycles converged at the junction of Sinsuat and Guttirrez Avenues here, before splitting into four groups that criss-crossed this city’s major road networks to campaign for the ratification of BOL on January 21.
The motorcade’s launch area is the gateway to the 22-hectare compound here of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), a 29-year old geopolitical entity that will be replaced by BARMM should Republic Act 11054 be ratified in next year’s plebiscite.
Motorcade participants also put up giant tarpaulins with campaign slogans and words of gratitude to the 17th Congress, President Duterte, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir and other entities or personalities involved in the evolution of the BOL.
Passed by Congress and signed into law by the President last July, the BOL translates legally two major agreements inked in 2013 and 2014 by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the government after 21 years of oft-stalled peace negotiations backed by multi-nation body led by the Malaysian leadership.
Former ARMM Executive Secretary Naguid Sinarimobo, a lawyer who helped craft the original BOL draft, indicated a “strong desire” by proponents to make this city a part of the proposed BARMM.
This city had served as official seat of the Central Mindanao Autonomous Region (CMAR) after its majority residents voted favorably in an enabling referendum held in 1977 by the Marcos regime.
(screengrabbed from UBJP Facebook video / MANILA BULLETIN)
About 1,800 motorcycles converged at the junction of Sinsuat and Guttirrez Avenues here, before splitting into four groups that criss-crossed this city’s major road networks to campaign for the ratification of BOL on January 21.
The motorcade’s launch area is the gateway to the 22-hectare compound here of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), a 29-year old geopolitical entity that will be replaced by BARMM should Republic Act 11054 be ratified in next year’s plebiscite.
Motorcade participants also put up giant tarpaulins with campaign slogans and words of gratitude to the 17th Congress, President Duterte, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir and other entities or personalities involved in the evolution of the BOL.
Passed by Congress and signed into law by the President last July, the BOL translates legally two major agreements inked in 2013 and 2014 by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the government after 21 years of oft-stalled peace negotiations backed by multi-nation body led by the Malaysian leadership.
Former ARMM Executive Secretary Naguid Sinarimobo, a lawyer who helped craft the original BOL draft, indicated a “strong desire” by proponents to make this city a part of the proposed BARMM.
This city had served as official seat of the Central Mindanao Autonomous Region (CMAR) after its majority residents voted favorably in an enabling referendum held in 1977 by the Marcos regime.