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Thursday, December 07, 2006
Military denies desecrating Muslim grounds
By Ben O. Tesiorna
DAVAO CITY -- The military denied reports that its troops desecrated a mosque and a Muslim cemetery in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao.
Lieutenant Colonel Julito Ando of the Army's 6th Infantry Division said "the mosque and cemetery are being respected by our troops since most of them are also Muslim soldiers."
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"Besides, the mosque and cemetery are very far from the military detachment in Barangay Kuloy," Ando said.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) criticized the military for the alleged desecration of a Mosque and graveyard allegedly committed by the 64th Infantry Battalion, Bravo Company in Barangay Kuloy, Shariff Aguak.
Reports said the mosque, situated within the temporary command post formerly occupied by the 64th Infantry Battalion Bravo Company in Kuloy, was made as shelter or living quarters by the soldiers.
The soldiers reportedly went inside the mosque without taking off their combat shoes "that were contaminated with all sorts of impurities."
"Reports would show that the sacred mosque was treated as if it is just an ordinary house and it became so unclean," reported the MILF's official website Luwaran.com.
The MILF said the command post where the mosque is situated was erected by the military "without securing coordination and clearance from the Joint Coordinating Committees on Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the MILF, much less, with the civilian owner of the piece of land."
The MILF-CCCH reportedly filed a protest on the setting up of the command post.
Some NGOs and humanitarian groups are looking into the incident. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Dumaguete. (December 7, 2006 issue)
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