BAGUIO CITY – Muslim leaders in the city renewed their unwavering and uncompromising support to the effort of both the national and local governments to thwart any attempt by lawless elements to conduct terroristic activities in the different parts of Luzon, including the country’s undisputed Summer Capital.
City officials and Muslim leaders patrolled the different Catholic and Christian churches in the city Sunday to show the support of the city’s Muslim community to the reign of peace, law and order, and to thwart any attempt to sow terror in the city that will compromise the security of residents and visitors alike, and negatively impact on the status of Baguio as one of the most peaceful cities and prime tourist destinations in the country.
Speaking before parishioners of the Baguio Cathedral, Imam Samsudin Munib assured that the Muslim community in the city values the importance of law and order and the unvalidated reports on planned terroristic attacks in Luzon, including Baguio, should not be taken lightly.
He underscored that the Muslims in the city are peace-loving people and would not want their Christian brothers to be unduly attacked or injured by lawless elements, particularly terrorists who simply want to sow terror, thus, they want the Christians to feel their love and support as one people living in the single community of Baguio.
On the other hand, Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong expressed his gratitude to the Muslim community for its commitment to support the reign of law and order in the city and their assurance to help police their own ranks in the light of unvalidated reports on the possible terrorist attacks in Northern Luzon, including Baguio City.
“We cannot afford to be complacent. We want to encourage our people to be vigilant on their surroundings and report to the authorities any doubtful event happening in their places,” Mayor Magalong stressed.
He disclosed there is mutual understanding between the Christians and the Muslims in the city and while there are Muslim leaders who volunteered to patrol the Catholic and Christian churches to avert unnecessary threats, there are also Christian volunteers who expressed their commitment to patrol the mosques of the Muslims to reciprocate such act of goodwill.
According to him, there are unvalidated reports circulating over the past several days on the planned terrorist attacks in the different parts of Luzon, including Baguio city, which caused concern among the citysecurity forces and the people of the city.
However, the city chief executive assured residents and tourists alike that the security forces and the city government are implement the appropriate strategies to thwart such evil motive to disrupt the prevailing decent law and order in the city.
Magalong lauded the efforts of both the Muslims and Christians in the city to look after the welfare of each other being brothers and sisters in the eyes of God and to sustain the good relationship established over the past several decades to make the city peaceful.
By Dexter A. See