By Meanne Corvera
Eagle News Service
Senators raised doubts the Bangsamoro Basic Law could be passed by the end of this year, even if President Rodrigo Duterte calls for a special session of Congress.
“Not even a special session can fast-track it to be passed into law this year. It contains 289 sections that hearings alone can take so much time,” Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said on Tuesday.
He added the proposed budget for 2018 and he tax reform bill, which are both priorities of the Duterte administration, have yet to be debated on in the bicameral conference committee.
He said the two alone would take up so much time because of the different provisions of the two houses of Congress that need to be reconciled.
According to Senate President Koko Pimentel, the Senate committee on local government under Senator Sonny Angara also has to hold a hearing on the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law which was only filed on Nov. 7.
But Pimentel said it was unlikely Angara would be able to do this since he was busy defending the tax reform bill or TRAIN.
He said apart from TRAIN and the proposed budget, Duterte has also requested that the resolution calling for the increase of the base pay of uniformed personnel be given attention.