ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Basilan Governor Hadjiman Hataman-Salliman has called for unity, sobriety, and vigilance among Muslim and Christian residents in that province.
Salliman issued the call as he expressed concern over potential strains between the Muslim-Christian relations brought about by the double bomb attack on a church in Jolo, Sulu, and the grenade attack on a mosque in this city.
Salliman led an interfaith unity prayer and dialogue on Wednesday to diffuse any brewing tension among Basileños, even as he noted that the two separate attacks occurred at a time when Basilan -- particularly Isabela City -- rejected to become part of the new Moro autonomous region during the January 21 plebiscite for the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).
He said the plebiscite had polarized the province's residents, with heated arguments spilling over on social media by those who want to join the new autonomous and those who opposed it.
Salliman said the "prevailing atmosphere of wariness and cynicism," coupled with the ongoing military offensive against the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Sulu, prompted him to take action to restore goodwill among the residents.
He called on all the mayors in Basilan, police and military to strengthen security in their respective towns to avert the possible entry of the Sulu-based ASG into the island province.
“We appreciated the positive development in Basilan -- a growth that never happened before, and there’s more development expansion to happen in the future if we stay united,” Salliman said. (PNA)
