Basilan Muslims protest planned demolition of mosque

ISABELA CITY, Basilan — Tension gripped this city anew as radical Muslims threatened to attack Christian churches if the local government pursues its plan to demolish a mosque built in a public land here.

Isabela City Mayor Luis Biel in a statement said there is a standing order from the court to demolish the mosque that was allegedly built illegally from the 621-square meter lot owned by the government.

The local government insisted the property, located in Rizal Street near the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) compound, belonged with the city government, which it won in a court battle some 16 years ago.

The local government is demolishing Hiya Unsanna Mosque, about 200 meters away from the Isabela Cathedral, to convert the area as a vegetable storage and market site.

Suod Omar, however, said the demolition was illegal and described the move of the local government as inhuman and "anti-Muslim."

"Demolishing the mosque is destroying the relation between Muslims and Christians in Basilan which is now very peaceful," Omar said.

Hundreds of Muslim religious leaders and members barricaded the area to prevent the local government from implementing the demolition of the mosque.

The Islam followers later staged a rally and marched around the city streets carrying placards and chanting "Allahu Akbar."

"We Muslims are ready to die for Islam, we will die first before you can demolish our mosque," some of the placards read.

Maruan Tandi disclosed that some of the Muslim religious members threatened that if the local government will push through the demolition "they will also destroy the nearby church."

"We have told them not to resort to such action but some of our members cannot be controlled already," Tandi said.