Young Muslims call for Estrada’s resignation

Young Muslims from different schools, professions and organizations in Metro Manila yesterday held a picket in front of the Senate to protest President Estrada’s alleged use of Moro youth scholars in defending himself against charges of receiving illegal gambling pay-offs

They also pressed for Mr. Estrada’s immediate resignation.

"President Estrada will only use the Moro people, this time the youth, as a scapegoat to cover his greediness in soliciting dirty money from jueteng lords like Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson," said Amirah Ali Lidasan, spokesperson of the Moro Christian People’s Alliance (MCPA) referring to the controversial Erap Muslim Youth Foundation.

"President Estrada must step down. No amount of bribery from Estrada can ever erase our memory of what he did to our Moro brethren in Mindanao. No amount of pa-pogi points can ever heal the scars he gave to us for all those he displaced, killed, abducted and whose future he snatched in his all-out war in Mindanao," Lidasan said.

Lidasan also challenged Estrada and the incorporators of the Erap Muslim Youth Foundation to produce a Muslim student beneficiary of the alleged scholarship program.

She warned that any Muslim youth who lets himself be used by the President will only face the repudiation of his Muslim brothers and sisters, as well as "the wrath of Allah."

"The future of the Moro youth and their rights to education should not be based on the whims of President Estrada, nor should it be based on his fancy for jueteng money," Lidasan added.

She said that the Moro youth have long fought for their right to education and have rallied for government to increase subsidies to their universities and for their scholarships. However, Estrada never abided by the constitutional provision of giving a priority budget for their education, Lidasan said.

She also noted that the President mobilized the military for his "all-out war" against the Moro people.

She added that more Moro youth will join protest rallies and mass actions against the malicious use of Muslims names in the payola scam and Estrada’s continued stay in Malacañang.

Lidasan called on the rest of the Moro youth and the Moro people not to fall for the false promises of President Estrada during the National Day of Prayer and Fasting last Saturday.

She also encouraged the Moro people to join the nationally-coordinated people’s strike on Nov. 14 and join the school walk-outs and work stoppages to call for Estrada’s ouster. – Sandy Araneta