(File photo)
MANILA – The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) on Tuesday urged the Philippine National Police (PNP) to review its program on religious and cultural sensitivity for its personnel.
This was after the hostage-taking at the PNP Custodial Center at Camp Crame, Quezon City last Sunday involving three persons under police custody who were allegedly members of the Abu Sayyag Group and the Dawlah Islamiya terrorist group.
Former senator Leila de Lima was briefly held hostage but emerged unscathed.
A video footage taken at the time of the incident showed a police personnel referring to the suspects by their supposed religious affiliation, saying, "tatlong Muslim daw yung nang-hostage (The hostage-takers were three Muslims)," something the NCMF considered as "generally very abusive to all Muslims.”
At a press conference, NCMF spokesperson Yusoph Mando reminded PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. on the proper usage of religious terms like “Muslim” and “Islam.”
“The entire Commission would like to respectfully recommend to the Chief of the PNP to review or conduct an educational awareness program for their PNP personnel and staff on religious and cultural sensitivity,” Mando said.
Mando also raised a related matter regarding the food being served to Muslim detainees.
The NCMF official claimed receiving reports that they were being made to eat pork, which is forbidden by their religion.
“We also call on the PNP to be culturally sensitive in preparing the food of the inmates and ‘Persons Deprived of Liberty,'” he said, citing a Commission on Audit press release that supposedly mentioned that pork was being served to Muslim PDLs.
“This incident should serve as an eye-opener to us. Sana iwasan na natin ang pagkakaroon ng ganitong insidente para di na magkaroon ng kaguluhan at pagkakahati-hati, Muslim man o Kristiyano (We should avoid such an incident to happen so that there will be no problem and disunity whether Muslim or Christian),” Mando added.
No to discrimination
The NCMF also urged the public to avoid biases, prejudice, stereotype, marginalization, and discrimination against minority Muslim Filipino communities in the country.
“Ang diskriminasyon ay nangyayari sa araw-araw at paulit-ulit sa trabaho, sa pagpasok sa mall ng mga Muslim. Wag nating udyukan ito at wag sagarin ang pasensya ng mga Muslim (Discrimination happens everyday and repetitively in the workplace, inside shopping malls. Let’s not inflame this and not test the patience of Muslims),” Mando said.
The NCMF executive also slammed those making a joke about “DVD piracy” being prevalent among Muslims.
“Konti lang po ang involved dito. Hindi lahat ng Muslims ay involved sa alleged DVD piracy. Sana ang mga ganitong sitwasyon ay iwasan at saliksikin at alamin kung sino ang Muslim (Only a few are involved. Not all Muslims are involved in alleged DVD piracy. Let us avoid such a situation. Let us research and determine who are Muslims and who are not),” he said.
“Ito rin po ang panawagan ni President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. pasa sa pagkakaisa at kaunlaran (This is also the call of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. for unity and development),” he added. (PNA)
