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Blame the PNP, not the Muslims - Anak Mindanaw rep. |
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Written by Samira Ali Gutoc
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Thursday, 24 July 2003 |
Joining the fray against raids on Muslim communities, Rep. Mujiv Hataman of Anak Mindanao (AMIN), criticized the search for Al-Ghozi as a "witchhunt alienating Muslim communities from supporting anti-terrorism drives."
This statement was made in the wake of reports that police forces were raiding Muslim communities in Payatas, Quezon City and Taguig, in search of escaped international terrorist Fathur Al-Ghozi. No sign of Al-Ghozi has so far been seen. Muslim leaders in Metro Manila have criticized the raids as having no coordination with community leaders and without search warrants.
Hataman blamed the Philippine National Police (PNP) for bungling its security system. "Why should we fault the Muslims, when we should blame the PNP? Muslims in Manila become convenient scapegoats," he added referring to raids in the past, in counter-terrorism drives such as the Manila mall bombings (in Glorietta) of 2000.
He also cautioned the police on the human rights implications of such raids. "The act of one (Muslim) is not the act of all." Hataman instead called on the President to investigate the angle on "collaboration" from within the police forces in facilitating the escape of Al-Ghozi. Hataman warned that if such allegations against police officials are not taken seriously, he will file a resolution in Congress investigating the circumstances of the highly-publicized escape.
Indonesian Fathur Al-Ghozi, an alleged high-ranking leader of the Jemaah Islamiya, escaped from detention at Camp Crame during the state visit of Australian Prime Minister John Howard. Ghozi, along with two others, is now on the manhunt list of security authorities, with the President issuing millions of bounty on his head. Some ranking police officials are currently being investigated to explain how Al-Ghozi was able to easily escape from detention.
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