SEC. CRUZ-ANGELES: Magandang hapon. Ako po si Trixie Cruz-Angeles, Press Secretary.
Katangi-tangi sa kamakailang pagsusumpa sa katungkulan ng mga miyembro ng Bangsamoro Transition Authority ang pagsama-sama ng iba’t ibang mga komunidad sa Bangsamoro Autonomous Region ng MILF at ng MNLF dito. Tungo ito sa panawagan ng pagkakaisa ng ating Pangulo.
Nandito para pag-usapan at tumanggap ng inyong mga katanungan ang Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr.
OPAPRU SEC. GALVEZ: Good afternoon po to our Press Secretary, Ma’am Trixie Cruz-Angeles; to our members of Malacañang Press Corps and to all our fellow Filipinos.
Last August 12 we witness the oath-taking of the newly appointed members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority which was presided by no less than President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.
The appointment of the new BTA members is not just a historic event but also a symbolic one. If you will remember the Bangsamoro Peace Process started during the term of the former President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr. and hopefully we will be completing and realizing under the Marcos, Jr. the fruits and dividends of the peace process.
The composition of the new BTA represents the United Bangsamoro as it compromised the representatives from the Moro National Liberation Front, the three factions and including Misuari and Sema groups, as well as the sons and daughters of the top military Islamic liberation front leaders and we are very confident that the next generation of Bangsamoro leaders are determined to sustain and build the gain of communities in the region.
And we are now open for your question. Maraming salamat po, Madam.
MODERATOR: We will only be accepting questions for Secretary Carlito Galvez, starting with Miss Celerina Monte of NHK.
CELERINA MONTE/NHK: Good afternoon po, Secretary Angeles and Secretary Galvez. For Secretary Galvez: Sir, regarding the CPP-NPA-NDF, you have mentioned before during the ELCAC press conference that the government would be granting amnesty to rebel returnees or those who would want to surrender to the government – may we know what’s the development on this? Has the Executive Department drafted already the proposed measure that you’re going to submit to the Congress?
OPAPRU SEC. GALVEZ: We are still waiting for the guidance of the Senate considering that during our Senate hearing before, it was turned down by then Senator Ping Lacson because of the ongoing hearing of the ano po. So we will just defer the comment on this, considering that the process is ongoing.
CELERINA MONTE/NHK: And also, I’m not sure how possible this will be, but would the government encourage like the leaders of the CPP-NPA-NDF such as Joma Sison to finally like surrender, that they’re already old and maybe they could give up their struggle and return to the folds of the law? Are you going to encourage them to avail also of this amnesty, if ever?
OPAPRU SEC. GALVEZ: Iyon po ang ano po namin. Panawagan nga po namin is talagang kung pupuwede nga po talaga na talagang magkaroon na po ng katahimikan dito sa Pilipinas and we are also encouraging that all CPP-NPA members also will talk with us. Kaya iyong sa NTF-ELCAC natin ay ongoing po iyong ating proseso ng local peace engagement.
But for the process of the negotiation with the CPP-NPA-NDF sa Norway, we will await the guidance of the President.
CELERINA MONTE/NHK: Sir, last question from me. Mayroon ba kayong target, like how many rebels are we expecting to avail of this amnesty? Although it could be as high as it could be, but iyong sa government target, mayroon ba kayong ina-eye?
OPAPRU SEC. GALVEZ: May nakita po kami na mga more or less mga 8,000 to 10,000 po. Sa ating ano pa lang ngayon, mga nag-surrender na CPP-NPA, more or less 26,414 but we are looking na magkakaroon lang ito ng more or less mga 1,000 o 2,000 na may mga kaso. Considering na nakikita natin iyong sa amnesty ay hindi lang ito sa CPP-NPA, but also the other four groups. So, iyong sa CPP-NPA we are looking at the possibility na 8,000 to 10,000.
CELERINA MONTE/NHK: Thank you po.
ACE ROMERO/PHIL. STAR: Secretary, na-mention before that they have to pass iyong Bangsamoro Election Code as well as other measures, key priority measures including iyong local government, iyong revenue at saka iyong about iyong sa mga indigenous peoples groups. So, what will be done by the national government to ensure na mapapasa na itong laws na ito, given na hindi pa yata nabubuo iyong mga measures na ito?
OPAPRU SEC. GALVEZ: Based doon sa arrangement namin with the President and also with the BTA members, during the inauguration and also oath-taking, ang guidance po ng ating mahal na Presidente, matapos po iyong apat na codes na remaining codes – unang-una iyong electoral code, iyong local government code, iyong revenue code at saka po itong IP code. Iyong apat na code po nito, napakahalaga po lalung-lalo na sa instructions ng ating mahal na Presidente na we have to prepare for the 2025 election.
So sa ngayon, based sa ano po namin ng Chief Minister, sinasabi po ni Chief Minister, sana po iyong election code ay mapasa po before the end of 2022 kasi mayroon na po itong draft at naipasa na rin po sa electoral comments and vetting. And they are very confident na kayang-kaya nilang ipasa po ang mga codes na ito in due time.
Ang hinihingi nga po namin kay Chief Minister at saka sa BTA member na matapos ito sa madaling panahon, especially iyong election code na matapos ito before 2022.
ACE ROMERO/PHIL. STAR: So may commitment na po ang Bangsamoro officials that they will pass the election code, lalo na iyong election code, before the end of the year?
OPAPRU SEC. GALVEZ: Yes, they already have the commitment considering ang sinabi nga ng ating mahal na Presidente, we have to prepare for 2025. And during the press statement of Murad Ibrahim, the Chief Minister, he said that they are very confident that they will pass the election code before the end of 2022 in order for us to prepare for 2023 and 2024. Meaning, mas uunahin nila iyong election code to give way para sa preparation with the COMELEC.
ACE ROMERO/PHIL. STAR: Salamat, Secretary.
MODERATOR: Thank you, Ace.
Okay. Thank you very much, Secretary Galvez and Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles. Maraming salamat, MPC.
OPAPRU SEC. GALVEZ: Maraming salamat po.
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SOURCE: OPS-NIB (News and Information Bureau – Transcription Section)
