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Wednesday, April 07, 2004
Bangsamoro may cancel support for GMA
By Lizanilla J. Amarga
CAGAYAN DE ORO -- A large number of Bangsamoro people threatened Tuesday to withdraw support from President Arroyo's administration should she fail to end the warrantless arrests and other forms of human rights violations against Muslims.
This, as President Arroyo agreed Tuesday night to suggestions made by the group of actor Robin Padilla that Muslim policemen be the ones to arrest and investigate Muslim suspects.
More than a hundred Muslims staged a peace rally at the City Kiosk Divisoria while 7,000 others participated in a similar demonstration in Marawi City Tuesday.
The twin rallies were initiated in response to Balik-Islam action star Robin Padilla's call to protest the illegal arrests and other anti-Muslim policies.
The group of Padilla had a prayer rally Monday night at the Quezon City Memorial Circle and stopped a possible protest at the Mendiola.
They also met with President Arroyo Tuesday night for almost two hours.
President Arroyo directed Sec. Teresita Velez of the Peace Process to look into allegations of torture inflicted on the arrested Muslim suspects.
Muslim leaders were complaining on the alleged torture inflicted on arrested Muslim suspects and being withhold from media coverage.
In the agreement reached Tuesday night, a team of policemen to be known as Salam police will be formed. The Salam police will craft the implementing guidelines and the rules of engagement.
Padilla after the meeting called on his brother Muslims to stop any protests to give the agreement a chance to work.
Manifesto
Muslim Multi-Sectoral Movement for Peace and Development (MMSMPD) head Datu Lacs Dalidig said the peace rallies called for Arroyo to end the rights violations inflicted against Muslims throughout the country.
He said their group together with other sectors and groups have signed a manifesto to President Arroyo on this matter Tuesday.
"Failure on the part of the national leadership to immediately act on these issues, problems and concerns will gravely affect the Bangsamoro support to the present administration," their manifesto to Arroyo read.
Their demands include the immediate release of all Muslims arrested without warrants and the filing of appropriate charges against responsible agencies and personnel.
The rallyists also called on the government to refrain from implementing the national ID system, which they described as "unconstitutional" and the immediate resignation of anti-kidnap czar Angelo Reyes.
"He (Reyes) has once again manifested his ulterior motives, as what he had done when he was still secretary of the Department of National Defense, based on the testimony of the Magdalo group," the group said.
The Muslim groups likewise called on the creation of a fact-finding committee to look into the "sad plight" of the detained Muslims especially women in the different detention centers in Metro Manila and other parts of the country.
According to them, violations include the harassment of innocent Muslims especially the "Balik-Islam" brothers and warrantless arrests.
They said the imposition of a national ID system carries with it a "double standard procedure" as well as the "non-observance" of due process and equal protection clause as provided in the Constitution.
They also protested the labeling of Muslims as "terrorists" for "personal ends and selfish motives."
"That while we support total war against terrorism in all aspects, we likewise condemn in the strongest terms possible, the tagging of Muslims as terrorists without due process," their statement read.
(April 7, 2004 issue)
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