[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’ILOILO MUSLIMS: MARTIAL LAW OK | Military rule to maintain peace, says Jed’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”][/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
Saturday, May 27, 2017
[/av_textblock]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
ILOILO City – Leaders of Muslim communities in this city approved of the declaration of martial law in Mindanao.
They believe the military rule was the only way to stop the atrocities committed by the Islamic State-linked Maute terror group.
Jed Patrick Mabilog also expressed support to President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration. The discipline that comes with the martial rule is “necessary to maintain peace and order,” said the mayor.
While in a state visit to Russia, Duterte placed the entire Mindanao under martial law on May 23 after government troops clashed with militants in Marawi City in Lanao del Sur.
Martial law may be expanded “throughout the country” to combat the rise of the terrorist organization Islamic State, Duterte said.
“The declaration of martial law is a must. Terrorists will not listen to dialogues,” Sultan Ibrahim Bansara, an executive official of the Iloilo United Muslims Community, Inc. (IUMCI), said at the sidelines of their meeting with the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) yesterday.
“What is needed is kamay na bakal (iron hand),” he stressed.
His immediate family was in Marawi City, their house situated within the Mindanao State University compound.
He said they never wanted atrocities. “Nobody favors what they (Maute group) are doing,” the Muslim leader said.
The IUMCI has more or less 2,000 members composed of Maranao, Tausug, Maguindanao, and Balik-Islam, and residing in Molo, La Paz and Jaro districts.
On the other hand, IUMCI president Madrigal Hadjinon said they were “hurt, very sad and worried” about what happened in Marawi City.
Some of his relatives lived in Marawi but had to temporarily move to nearby areas to escape the clashes, he said.
But he said of the Maute group, “They are still Muslims. It is God who will punish them whatever sin they have committed.”
“We have no right to reject them, but we are against their atrocities,” he added. “In Islam we affirm the dignity of life and sanctity of birth.”
IUMCI spokesperson Sultan Jerry Macala also expressed favor to martial law.
The Maute group tainted the image of Islam, which promotes peace, he stressed.
“I am in favor (of martial law) because it is the only solution seen by our government to put an end to their atrocities,” said Macala.
The city-based Muslim community leaders assured the ICPO of their cooperation in ensuring peace and order.
Macala assured that the Maute group could never enter the metro.
Hadjinon also recalled that they already signed with the police a pledge to fight terrorism.
“Twice we have signed a covenant that we are against terrorism. That is most sacred than this meeting [sic]. You can trust us with that,” he said.
Meanwhile Mayor Mabilog recalled his experience when the dictator Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law in 1972.
“We also experienced martial law before, and we are still alive,” he said. “We grew up as responsible people because discipline is really necessary for peace and order.”
Mabilog sympathized with the people in Marawi who experienced the attacks by the Maute group. He expressed condolences to families of those who lost their lives in the fighting.
The mayor urged the public, particularly Ilonggos, to continue praying for peace in Mindanao.
“Pray for Marawi, pray for Mindanao, pray for our national leaders, including our President Rodrigo Duterte, and pray for our country and peace in the whole world,” he said. (Perla G. Lena and Cindy B. Ferrer, Philippine News Agency/PN)
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
