Cardinal Orlando Quevedo. AP FILE PHOTO

“Extremism and Islamic State Influence Would Spread Quickly if Congress Pass a Rejected Version of the Proposed BBL”-Cardinal Quevedo

• Jul 16, 2018
• Al Iskandar, Luwaran
• HITS: 1882

Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao—Cardinal Orlando Quevedo of the Archdiocese of Cotabato warned that extremism and Islamic State (IS) influence would spread quickly in Mindanao if Congress passed a version of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) that the Bangsamoro people, represented by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), would reject, a PDI report said.

In the same article by PDI, it says that Cardinal Quevedo, who endorsed the BBL version crafted by the BTC has urged the bicameral conference committee currently working on the final version of the BBL to weigh the consequences of passing a measure that veered away from the essence of the BBL as crafted by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC. 

“A good BBL will be an antidote to Islamic radicalization,” Quevedo told the Inquirer on Wednesday in Koronadal City.

Cardinal Quevedo warned that if the version that Congress would pass failed to address historical injustices committed against the Moro people, radicalism would grow among Moro youth.

The Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), and the Maute Group, both Islamic State-Inspired groups are fighting government forces in Mindanao to establish an independent Islamic state.

Mindanao, he said, was now in the “cusp of peace” following the peace agreement between the MILF and the government during the tenure of former President Benigno Aquino III.

 “In their hands is history, in their hands is peace,” Quevedo said.

Asked how deep IS influence had penetrated Mindanao, Quevedo said IS supporters could be “busy” recruiting members and “it will be accelerated if BBL failed.” (Source: Manila Bulletin)

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