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OMA top brass hits Martial Law

Opposes Anti-Terrorism Bills

BAGUIO CITY (Sept. 21) — Northern Luzon Director Abel Macarimpas of the Office of Muslim Affairs (OMA) said the martial law (ML) was the dark ages to Filipino Muslims. In a special press conference on the forthcoming Ramadhan, Macarimpas recalled that when then President Ferdinand E. Marcos declared ML 33 years ago today, Muslims suffered tremendous hardships.

“Several of our brothers and sisters in the countryside were killed, harassed and intimidated by the military,” Macarimpas narrated. He said even pregnant women were not spared. Among the more gory examples he cited were some fetuses, which were even extracted from their mother’s wombs and eyes, plucked out from live men.

This made a very bad record in the Muslim history in the Philippines, Macarimpas said, adding, “We do not want to remember martial law because of the injustice it inflicted on the Muslims.”

As this developed, according to Macarimpas, he vigorously oppose the Anti-Terrorism Bills pending in the House of Representatives because, all these tag Muslims as terrorists.

“There is a great possibility for government to use the law to harass and violate its citizens’ right to privacy,” Macarimpas surmised. “Kahit gabi, pwede na tayong pasukin,” (Authorities could intrude into our homes even during the night) he quipped

Atty. Benny Esmael Bomogao, an Igorot from Sagada, Mt. Province, who is now a Muslim since 2003 said Islam rejects and denounces terrorism. He explained that terrorism and extremist activities are brought about by social and political problems in society.

Bomogao cited the case of the Palestinians and the Jews in Israel where there is a perceived oppression of one by the other.

Bomogao said the Western media projected terrorism to an uncontrolled level. It even propagated that Muslims are terrorists. The teachings of Islam belies this, according to Bomogao, adding that Islam respects humanity but when there is inequality and injustice, the oppressed will act accordingly.

“We cannot blame the terrorists because they are unfairly treated,” he said.

Macarimpas likewise said, he could not convince some of those who chose to take up arms to return to the folds of the law because of the gory experiences the Muslims in Mindanao suffered during the ML period.

Aside from Macarimpas and Bomogao, other leaders, including two women, were in the panel of discussants for the first press conference of this year’s celebration of the Ramadhan Al-Mubarak, which starts on October 4, or 5 with a gathering at the People’s Park here. They clarified some of the misconceptions regarding Islam and issues involving the Muslims.

They said the aim of this year’s Ramadhan is to achieve unity, peace and harmony between the Muslim and non-Muslims.

Macarimpas said, the Muslims in Baguio fled from Mindanao to seek for peace He reiterated, “We are not terrorists.” There are around 7,500 Muslims in Baguio City Benguet and Mountain Province at present. Of these, some 1,000 are converts who belong to various Cordillera tribes. According to the leaders, the Muslims make up 24% of the world population. (Please see a related story) # Lyn V. Ramo for NORDIS

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