Hanoi (VNA) - The Senate ofthe Philippines on May 31 approved theBangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), under which theAutonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will be replaced by a new Bangsamororegion in the south.
Twenty-two senatorsvoted in favor of the Senate’s bill, two others were absent.
Earlier on theday, the country’s House of Representatives also approved a bill of this kind draftedby it. President Rodrigo Duterte said this is an urgent issue.
Thebicameral Congress of the Philippines will then conduct a meeting to examinethe draft laws of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The finaldraft of the bill will be returned to both for approval before being forwardedto Duterte for signing the issuance.
Filipinolawmakers hoped to approve the final draft on July 23 in the opening session ofthe third meeting of the 17th Congress.
BBL was drafted by negotiators of the Philippine Government and the MoroIslamic Liberation Front (MILF) forces after signing a peaceful agreement in 2014 with the hope to endseparatist activities, which lasted in Minadao for dozens of years. -VNA