GMA to Muslim leaders: Ignore jihad calls

President Arroyo met with local Muslim leaders at Malacañang yesterday and asked them to support the government’s stand on the global war against terrorism and reject the call for a jihad, or holy war, by suspected international terrorist Osama bin Laden.

The President met with the Muslim leaders as some militant and Islamic groups protested the Arroyo administration’s support for the US military strikes against the ruling Taliban militia of Afghanistan and Bin Laden’s al-Qaeda network. The President's call came in the heels of protests by hundreds of Maranaos from Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte against the US-led air strikes on Afghanistan. The angry crowds said they were willing to go to Afghanistan if recruited by the Taliban.

Despite the isolated protest rallies, however, Speaker Jose de Venecia called for inter-faith cooperation and dialogue to isolate extremists, preach "restraint and moderation" and strengthen the moderate Islamic youths.

De Venecia also reiterated his support for the US strikes which began on Sunday and targeted military installations and terrorist training camps believed to be operated by the al-Qaeda.

Other local Muslim leaders also expressed support for the US military strikes which they said were directed at terrorists and not the Islamic religion.

"The attacks were not against Islam," said Dr. Parouk Hussein, presidential adviser on Muslim affairs. "It was against a regime that was very stubborn and did not comply with the request of the United Nations and the international community."

Hussein is a member of the executive council of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), a Mindanao separatist group which has forged a peace agreement with the government.

Hussein is also the administration candidate for governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao with former Lanao del Sur Gov. Wahid Mutilan running for ARMM vice governor in the elections slated for Nov. 26.

Hussein said he did not see any strong outcry against the attacks "unless innocent civilians are put in harm’s way."

Muslim leaders in Zamboanga City also rejected Bin Laden’s appeal for jihad, saying a jihad in support of terrorism was un-Islamic.

"The US-led air strikes were directed at terrorists and not civilians," said Ustadz Shariff Moshin Julabbi, an official of the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Julabbi admitted that jihad was indeed taught in the Holy Quran but he stressed that a call for jihad should also be evaluated carefully because Islam "does not accept terrorism."

In her remarks during the proclamation of Hussein and Mutilan’s candidacies, Mrs. Arroyo said Filipino Muslim leaders from both the MNLF and MILF have roundly rejected Bin Laden’s call for a jihad and have also denounced the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the US.

"Let us forge unity in Muslim Mindanao and let us forge unity between Muslims and Christians, especially in the light of international events," the President said.

Mrs. Arroyo repeated her appeal during the Philippine Local Governance Congress at the Manila Midtown Hotel, where she commended local leaders in supporting the national government’s stand on international terrorism.

"This battle is not against Islam," the President told local government leaders. "This is a battle against terrorism whatever the religion of the terrorist."

Meanwhile, National Security Adviser Roilo Golez lauded the MNLF and MILF for rejecting Bin Laden’s call for a jihad.

"We would like to commend the MILF for their very sober and circumspect statement with respect to calls for a jihad by the Taliban," Golez said during a press briefing in Malacañang.

"I think the MILF should be used as a model by some groups which are entertaining the call for jihad," he added, referring to fundamentalist Muslim groups who said they would go to Afghanistan to heed the call for jihad.

Golez, however, said that Filipino Muslims who have adopted this view is a "very small group" and do not reflect the view of most Muslims in the Philippines.

"We are very confident that the broad majority of our Muslim brothers and sisters are not going to respond to the calls for jihad because they know the leading Muslim countries are with the international coalition against terrorism," Golez said.

"We have Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Nigeria. These are the countries that are part of the coalition. These are the leading nations insofar as the Muslim world is concerned," he said.

De Venecia, for his part, also lauded the MILF for their stand and expressed hope the Philippines would be able to "mediate" for a dialogue for peace and inter-faith cooperation.

"Despite our difficulties in Mindanao, we are in a good position to mediate for this dialogue among cultures and civilizations," De Venecia said in a dinner he hosted for a visiting parliamentary delegation from Kuwait on Tuesday evening.

The Speaker also expressed hope the peace talks with the MILF on Oct. 20-22 would end the secessionist war in Mindanao. - With reports from Roel Pareño, Paolo Romero, Sandy Araneta and Meyan Jaymalin