MANILA -- The Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) will make all resources related to the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) available to public, its Secretary said.
PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar made this promise saying it was former Presidential Assistant on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza who reminded Andanar to ensure that the public, especially Muslim Filipinos, have access to BOL documents.
“Mula noong napirmahan po iyong BOL ng ating mahal na Pangulong Duterte, kami po ay nag-usap ng dating OPAPP Secretary Jess Dureza tungkol diyan (Since the BOL was signed by our beloved President Duterte, OPAPP Secretary Jess Dureza and I have talked about disseminating information on the BOL),” Andanar said in an interview over Radyo Pilipinas on Saturday (Feb. 2).
“At ang pakiusap niya sa akin ay (And his request to me was) just make all of the government resources available for our Muslim brothers and sisters ng (in the) Moro Islamic Liberation Front…because we don’t really want to control or to manage their narrative on the story,” he added.
Andanar pointed out that all state-run media will also do its part in delivering news to better equip the public with knowledge on what is stipulated in the BOL.
“Our duty is to make our resources available for all of them which is again, Radyo Pilipinas, PTV, Philippine News Agency at PIA (Philippine Information Agency),” Andanar said.
Under the government’s Freedom of Information (FOI) program, all executive departments, agencies, bureaus, and offices are required to make public records, contracts, transactions, and any information requested by a member of the public, except for sensitive information and matters affecting national security.
Andanar vowed that PCOO will do its part in ensuring the safety of media personnel during the second plebiscite on the ratification of the BOL which will take place on Feb. 6 in six Lanao del Norte towns and in 67 villages in North Cotabato.
“We have to cooperate with our government; we have to cooperate with the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines); we cooperate with the Philippine National Police and our local government units. Sapagkat that is the surest way na masiguro natin iyong ating kaligtasan (Because this is the surest way that we can ensure safety),” Andanar said.
Meanwhile, Andanar also defended martial law in Mindanao from critics who claimed it was not necessary since bombings in Jolo, Sulu and Zamboanga City the past week happened despite its imposition.
“Huwag na silang makialam sa martial law sa Mindanao sapagkat maayos naman. (Critics should stop meddling with martial law in Mindanao because it’s doing well),” Andanar said.
“Ayaw natin na mahaluan na naman ng mga terrorist groups itong ating peaceful resolution for our Mindanao through the Bangsamoro Organic Law (We don’t want our peaceful resolution for Mindanao through the Bangsamoro Organic Law to be mixed up with terrorist groups),” he added. (PNA)
