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To show his commitment in the peace process with the rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front, President Rodrigo Duterte has vowed to use his residual powers if Congress fails to pass the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law.

He made the commitment during his meeting with MILF officials, led by chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim in Davao City on Tuesday night.

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza, in a statement, said the meeting was part of the previously agreed arrangement there would be periodic and regular meeting of both sides for passage of the proposed measure.

"The president said he would assist even to the extent of relaying to both chambers of Congress his determination to help push for the passage of the BBL that is compliant with the comprehensive agreement of the Bangsamoro and as close as possible to the new draft law submitted by the Bangsamoro transition commission," he said in a statement.

"In the event this does not take place in Congress, he said he would go to the extent of even exercising his residual powers thru administrative directives to fulfill this commitment," he added.

Administrative Code of 1987 provides for the residual powers of the president, which states that "unless Congress provides otherwise, the president shall exercise such other powers and functions vested in the president which are provided for under the laws and which are not specifically enumerated above or which are not delegated by the president in accordance with law."

Aside from Dureza and other Cabinet officials, also present in the meeting were Bangsamoro Transition Commission chair Ghadzali Jaafar and MILF peace panel chair Mohagher Iqbal.

"(President) Duterte will push for the passage of BBL. (He) reiterated his commitment," Iqbal told the Manila Shimbun.

He said Duterte told them that target for the passage of the proposed BBL is May.

Dureza said during the meeting, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in a phone conversation with him and Murad, committed to support the BTC-drafted version that Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez authored.

According to him, Arroyo would withdraw authorship of her previously signed bill to fast track the approval of the new version.

Senate sub-Committee chair Senator Miguel Zubiri, who was in London, also said the Senate would act on the bill before Congress adjourns “sine die” on May 15 this year, Dureza added.

Duterte, in his speech in Sulu province on Monday, said that if there is any power of the national government which he could not give to the proposed Bangsamoro government, it would be on the military and police.

"The regional armed forces, as well as the regional police, it stays with the commander-in-chief," he has said. Celerina Monte/DMS