THE recent bombings in Jolo, Sulu that killed more than 20 and injured at least a hundred people is a divisive effort to further widen the gap between Muslims and Christians, Secretary Saidamen Pangarungan said in a statement issued recently.
Saidamen of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) said such are acts of cowardice and an attempt to ruin the government’s effort in continued quest of peace process in Mindanao.
He said the people in Jolo, Sulu both Muslims and Christians live together in co-existence for generations.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, in a statement also condemned the acts and condole the families who were mourning of the loss of lives of loved ones.
“As we begin a new phase in the peace process with the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARRM), we ask our Christian brethren to join hands with all peace-loving Muslim and Indigenous People communities in the advocacy against violent extremism.
Meanwhile, the NCMF recently launched a nationwide project in strengthening national and local resilience against violent extremism in coordination with the United Nation Development Program and Japanese government in Marawi City.
The objective of the said program is to protect Muslim Filipino youth in joining extremists in the country and to educate them the true values of Islam.