CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Police Regional Office-Central Luzon director Chief Superintendent Aaron Aquino Thursday, July 6, downplayed the concerns about discrimination on the proposed identification (ID) system for Muslim residents in Central Luzon.
This was after some personalities including Commission on Human Rights (CHR)-Central Luzon director Jasmin Regino said that an ID system among Muslims is “discriminatory” as it is a form of “branding and segregation.”
Aquino said that the proposed policy is only for profiling purposes aimed at helping the Muslim residents in the region in identifying their members from the newcomers in the community.
“Proposal pa lang naman ito para matulungan ang Muslim community at mapadali din sa amin na ma-identify ‘yung mga bagong salta dito sa Central Luzon. Kahit sabihin mo kasi na magkakakilala, minsan hindi mo maiiwasan may makakalusot. Mas mabuti na ‘yung may hawak na dokumento,” he said.
Aquino added that the Muslims who attended the multi-sectoral forum where the concern was raised did not object nor gave any negative comments about the proposal.
He stressed that Muslim members, themselves, supported the idea to safeguard their groups and communities from being tagged in the terrorism acts of Maute or Isis-affiliated groups who identify themselves as Muslims.
“The Muslim residents in Tarlac did this first. I only proposed for a replication here in Pampanga and other provinces in Central Luzon. But I never told them to do this or that, it is just a mere proposal. And when I said it, nobody said negative things. In fact gustung-gusto nga nila,” he explained.
Aquino said that he welcomes any comments from the public and the government as it may help in improving the project.
He added that it is the right of the people and the CHR to comment on whatever issues happening in the community given the democratic setting the Philippines has.