VOL. XXIX NO. 209 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 wedNeSday : SePTeMBeR 9, 2015 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph
Sarmiento to take over from Roxas at DILG
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bbL RunnInG out of tIMe, noY SaYS By Sandy araneta and Francisco tuyay
THE Palace said Tuesday time is running out for the passage of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, the centerpiece of the Aquino administration’s peace efforts in Mindanao. “Communication with leaders of Congress on the timely passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law continues. We understand that time is running out to achieve this objective, but we need to acknowledge the importance of upholding the peace process,” said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. As part of the peace process, Aquino recently created a national task force for the disbandment of private armed groups in areas of the proposed Bangsamoro and adjacent regions. The task force included representatives from the military, the Justice Department, the police and various law enforcement and intelligence agencies, and the head of the government negotiating panel with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The task force will be in charge of formulating policy, planning and and implementing a program to disband private armed groups. In an interview on state-run PTV-4, Aquino said he did not believe war would break out if the BBL is not approved. “I don’t submit to the premise that war will break out. I don’t think there is any interest from the major players to re-engage in a bloody conflict.” he said. “Having said that, there will be the spoilers who will want to exploit the current difficulties to show that their avowed aims of gaining what they want through violent means is the only way to go Next page
Question and answer. President Benigno Aquino III expresses his views during an interview at a local newspaper office aired over government television station PTV 4 on Tuesday. Malacañang Photo Bureau
Mar should man up to failure after Yolanda
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Now, government considers car pools Tuesday. Speaking at budget hearings at the Senate, Singson said the plan THE government is consider- would cover the peak hours from ing a traffic scheme that would 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 5 p.m. bar all vehicles with fewer than to 8 p.m. three passengers from Edsa dur“To be able to do that, you have ing peak hours, Public Works to open alternative routes for Secretary Rogelio Singson said private vehicles with fewer than
By Macon r. araneta and Joel e. Zurbano
three passengers so they can pass through them,” he said. He said this was just one of many recommendations on how to decongest traffic in Metro Manila. Another proposal was to adjust office hours of government employees as well as workers in the Next page private sector.