CALOOCAN CITY, March 18 (PIA) -- A peace dialogue, held to help resolve a brewing conflict among Mindanao natives in Metro Manila, has united the Muslim residents who became restless due to the recent shooting and killing of Adzmar “Jhong Leonard” Hamsan, a tribal leader, by a still unknown assailant.
The Quiapo District shooting incident reportedly resulted to forced evacuation and displacement of some residents and transients living in the area.
The peace dialogue, which lasted for hours at the Philippine National Police Manila Police District Station 14, right inside the Social Hall of the Islamic Center Madrasah in Barangay 647 in Manila, was facilitated by Office of Deputy Speaker Mujiv Hataman and attended by the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) represented by Commissioner Yusoph J. Mando and Bureau of Peace and Conflict Resolution (BPCR) Director Cosanie Mortaba Derogongan, the NCMF-NCR, and the Anak Mindanao Party List.
While it was highly charged at the beginning, the tension gradually eased as the Muslim leaders of both Yakan and Maranao tribes were given ample time to ventilate their gripes and concerns against each other.
“I appeal to the public to refrain from concocting stories until such time the police report comes out. We need official statement from the PNP regarding the incident,” Commissioner Mando urged earlier.
“And so as not to put Muslim in a bad light, I strongly advise those concerned to maintain sobriety and avoid entertaining unverified reports especially in social media platforms that would cause undue public panic,” the NCMF official added.
The two tribes represented by their respective tribal leaders and the government agencies present condemned the act and agreed to look for the solutions rather than exacerbate the problem.
At the end of the dialogue, the leaders of the two tribes said they have set aside their differences to save Muslim community from the seemingly unending unrest, which makes their community more vulnerable to outside threats.
They also agreed to pacify the people concerned and amicably settle possible disputes that may arise from the issue. As an initial step, the mother of the slain victim heartwarming speech of forgiveness.
Asserting his mandate to protect and assist Muslim communities in exercising their individual as well as collective Right to Peace, Commissioner Mando said, “Peaceful co-existence; pushing for the preservation of the Muslim culture; and asserting as well as safeguarding the peace-loving community of Yakans against other tribes have long been part of my personal and official advocacy,”
“I will do the best of what I can do as a steward of out tribe.” Mando added.
“Basically I need to validate and confirm what is in the hearts and minds of the Yakan Community on the incident to effectively guide them to the path of peace,” he furthered.
“At the end of the day, we are still family living in the same community,” BPCR Director Derogongan, a Maranao, for his part said.
“As a Peacekeeper, I am happy of the results of the dialogue,” Derogongan added.
Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) Assistant Secretary Pendatun Disimban, who also exerted efforts for a fair and peaceful talk among members of both tribes in the area, vowed that he will support whatever decision the community will come up with.
“Our role in the National Government is to support and to ensure that the Muslim community’s welfare,” Disimban declared. “This resolution is only the first step in our mission to address other important issues within the community. We are the Muslim partners for development,” Disimban said.
Aside from advancing the interest and welfare of Muslim Filipinos, Commissioner Mando is the concurrent spokesperson, while Director Derogongon is the coordinator for Muslim Affairs of the Yes for Peace - Bayanihan ng Bayan (YFP-BB), a consensus building and people's participation advocacy campaign that has engaged over 15 million Filipinos across the Philippines since it was initiated in 1988 by students of the University of the Philippines System.
The YFP-BB, which seeks to mobilize the people's pro-active involvement and collective participation to democratically reinforce the Whole of Nation approach towards good governance has been incorporated into the National Action Plan of the National Task Force to End the Local Communist Armed Conflict submitted by National Security Adviser Hermogenes C. Esperon, Jr. and approved by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. (PIA NCR)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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