Muslims to take part in peace-keeping efforts

ILOILO CITY, Philippines —Different Muslim communities scattered all over Western Visayas, the members of which may reach 8,500, have been tapped to help the police in the maintenance of peace and order in the region.

Police Regional Office-6 director, Chief Supt. Cipriano Querol, Jr., said the Muslims' participation would be for the good of everybody, and it surely could make a difference.

Querol, a Balik-Islam, and leaders of the Muslim communities in the region held a dialogue Tuesday on how the latter could help in the police's peace and order efforts.

"I told them to come out and share their services to the community. I want them to become members of the barangay peace keeping action teams (BPATs) in their respective barangays," he said.

Querol also discussed how Muslims could be part of the barangay peacekeeping operations (BPKO), which is a comprehensive and "catch all" strategy of the Philippine National Police, involving data and intelligence report gathering.

BPKO also serves as a means to ensure the effective prevention, control and suppression of crimes and efficient management of disasters and emergencies.

 "So, I required them to form their own BPATs in their respective areas. They would, of course, get their instructions from the barangay chairman in the area where they live," Querol said.

It was gathered that Muslim leaders are set to submit their membership with Querol soon.

BPATs are expected to be established in areas where Muslim communities are present such as in La Paz and Molo districts in Iloilo City; Culasi and San Jose towns in Antique; Kalibo and Boracay in Aklan; Sara, Estancia, Dueñas, and Dingle in Iloilo province; Bacolod City; the component cities of Kabankalan, Victorias, Sagay, Silay, Binalbagan, Escalante, San Carlos, La Carlota, and Cauayan in Negros Occidental; and Sibunag, Nueva Valencia, Jordan, and Buenavista in Guimaras. (FREEMAN)