Non-Muslim soldiers rebuild old mosque in Maguindanao

COTABATO CITY — Christian soldiers have rebuilt a dilapidated mosque in Barangay Gawang, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur, which is now open for use by Muslim worshipers.

Major. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, told reporters on Tuesday, November 19, that the mosque in Barangay Gawang was fixed by personnel of the Army’s 92nd Infantry Battalion, led by Lt. Col. Christian Cabading, and the Philippine Army Finance Center Producers Integrated Cooperative, most known by its acronym PAFCPIC.

Nafarrete said the reconstruction of the Islamic worship site by  Cabading and his subordinates and the PAFCPIC as project funder complemented the 6th ID’s effort to promote religious solidarity among Muslims and Christians in Central Mindanao cities and provinces covered by its units. 

The rehabilitated mosque was together inaugurated last week by officials of the 92nd IB, local executives, representatives from the Bangsamoro social services ministry and PAFCPIC, led by its branch manager for Cotabato, Gemma Deleña, and their community developer manager, Norman Torres, Aliarsad Abdulbayan, who is chairman of Barangay Gawang, and members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front residing in the area.

Torres told reporters that PAFCPIC supports activities promoting understanding among culturally-diverse communities also beset with religious differences.

“The accomplishment of this project is a good showcase [of] how multi-sector cooperation can foster positive changes and strengthen interfaith unity among local communities,” Torres said.

Municipal officials and members of the local Islamic religious community posted on Facebook their appreciation of the project.

Nafarrete and the commander of the Philippine Army, Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, separately told reporters that they are grateful to the 92nd IB and the PAFCPIC for having embarked on the massive repair of the mosque in Barangay Gawang, the scene of deadly clashes in decades past between Moro secessionist groups and state security forces.