Muslims in Cebu to help keep Sinulog peaceful

Muslims in Cebu to help keep Sinulog peaceful

MUSLIM community leaders in Central Visayas called on their brothers from the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to help keep this year’s Sinulog peaceful.

This, as the initial 5,000 police personnel to be deployed for Sinulog reached 8,000 after augmentation arrived in the city.

Ustadz Najeeb Rasul, leader of the Voice of Islam Community, said, “Let this

be a haven of peace. Dili langit pero dapit kung asa

ang kalinaw (Not heaven but a place where there is peace),” he said.

He said Cebu for him is the cradle not only of Christianity but also of Islam.

“Nanawagan mi sa among mga igsoon didto sa Mindanao nga di mi kadawat og spillover sa Visayas area especially Cebu City. It is my city and I do not allow them to come

here. Let it be known to

them nga dili mi malipay nga mobuhat silag kaguliyang diri sa siyudad sa

Sugbo (We appeal to our brothers in Mindanao that we cannot accept a spillover here in the Visayas, especially here in Cebu. We will not be happy if they cause chaos here),” Rasul said.

Another local Muslim leader, Malo Manonggiring, director of National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) 7, assured the public that they will do their best to maintain peace.

Initiative

“This is an initiative for all of us. We are appealing to all our Muslim and non-Muslim brothers to remain calm and to be vigilant,” Manonggiring said.

Police said that so far, they have not received re--

ports of the presence of insurgents who might strike during Sinulog.

Security in access points like piers and terminals will also be strengthened.

“Let’s avoid the entry ng may mga masasamang motibo. Wag na silang pu- munta dito sa Cebu dahil nagkakaisa na ang mga Cebuano (Let’s avoid the entry of those who have bad motives. They shouldn’t come here in Cebu because the Cebuanos are now united),” Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas, deputy operations director of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7, said.

He also requested the public to be patient when their bags are searched.

Transparent bags are en- couraged to avoid suspicion of the presence of improvised explosive devices (IED).

There will also be security cameras in strategic places.

“The installation of closed-circuit television cameras is continuous and any information that the Muslim community will gather will be relayed to us,” Cebu City Police Office director Senior Supt. Joel Doria said.