BAR bill faces rough sailing in Congress

THE House of Representatives and the Senate will have a tough time reconciling the differences in their respective versions of the proposed law on the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, Rep. Rufus Rodriguez admitted on Saturday.

“It is a difficult task. There are a lot of balancing acts to be done to ensure that the BLBAR (Basic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region) remains true both to the genuine aspirations of the Bangsamoro for self-determination and the 1987 Constitution. But I think the differences in both versions could be ironed out when the bill reaches the bicameral panel,” Rodriguez, the chairman of the House Ad Hoc panel, said.