Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Chief Minister Al-Hajj Murad Ebrahim has sought for the inclusion of Bangsamoro leaders in the Anti-Terrorism Council.
“We are requesting, for the sake of our constituents, na baka pwedeng maging miyembro kami, official member kami diyan sa council (for us to be official members of the council). At least we can represent our people,” Ebrahim told ANC.
Ebrahim also noted that the Bangsamoro government was not consulted in the process of crafting the bill.
He said he wants a “continuing engagement” with the national government on issues concerning the Anti-Terrorism Act.
The BTA had earlier requested President Duetrte to veto the Anti-Terror bill, saying that the Bangsamoro people would be “among the hardest hit” by the bill once it passes into law.
Read more: Bangsamoro gov’t appeals to Duterte to veto Anti-Terror bill
When the Anti-Terrorism Bill was passed into law, the BTA issued a statement saying the parliament fully supports the measure.
When asked about the turnabout in the parliament’s position on the law, Ebrahim said: “Upon signing of the bill, and tingin namin sa aming panig (from our point of view), because we are in the government, then we are bound to abide by the law as it is already a law.”
Ebrahim is hoping that the concerns of the Bangsamoro people will be considered by the national government.
“Hopefully, we can still produce some results na ma-address iyong concern namin (that will address our concerns),” he said, adding that the Bangsamoro people are “very apprehensive” about the anti-terror law.