Police to monitor Muslim communities — Velasco

Police intelligence agents are closely monitoring Muslim communities in Metro Manila, but there will be no crackdown against Muslim Filipinos.

Metro Manila police chief Deputy Director Reynaldo Velasco said yesterday that the move came on the heels of the arrest of Mark Gumbahale, a top aide of Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khadaffy Janjalani in Maharlika Village in Taguig.

Police intelligence reports also showed that a number of Muslim terrorists have slipped into Metro Manila in the last few days to conduct bombing runs to destabilize the Arroyo government.

Velasco, however, assured the public that the the heightened intelligence monitoring activities is only aimed at preventing terrorists from using Muslim communities as sanctuary.

"There is no crackdown," he stressed. "What we are interested in is their cooperation in reporting to us the presence of new faces in their neighborhood so that we can immediately implement measures before it’s too late."

Velasco disclosed that a meeting with top leaders of Muslim communities is now being arranged.

"I will seek the cooperation of Muslim community leaders because they, too, would be greatly affected by these bombing incidents."

The Metro Manila police chief, however, admitted that there is no conclusive evidence yet as to what group was behind the bus bombing last Friday in Quezon City and what type of bomb was used.

"I don’t want to speculate on the matter but I can assure you that we are working on the case on a 24-hour basis," he said.

Earlier, President Arroyo called on local chief executives to be at the forefront of the fight against terrorism.

In Mandaluyong City, Mayor Benhur Abalos convened a meeting with members of the Presidential Oversight Committee on Internal Security last Saturday to map out strategies to counter-terrorist acts.

One such strategy is to conduct a 24-hour watch in all public places, especially at the country’s biggest mall, the SM Megamall, which is located in Mandaluyong.

Mayor Abalos also directed the Mayor’s Action Command (MAC), to serve as coordinating teams for all security units deployed in schools, shopping malls, theaters, amusement centers, parks and terminals of public utility vehicles.

"There would be some inconvenience for sure but we have to do this to make sure that everyone is safe," he said.

Meanwhile, Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. is set to hold a dialogue with leaders of Muslim communities in the city after they expressed concern that authorities may once again use them as fall guys and hold them responsible for the terror attacks in the metropolis.

City hall officials who took part in the drafting of security action plan said yesterday Belmonte gave special instructions for the holding of a dialogue with Muslim leaders in Barangays Culiat and Payatas to encourage active involvement of citizens.

"They are not being targeted as perpetrators since they are also potential victims. The government is not calling them perpetrators, which is a form of persecution. We don’t intend to do that here in Quezon City," one official told The Star.

Muslim leader Datu Amirol Ular Amiong said they are fearful that Muslims in Culiat, Maharlika Village and Quiapo would be forced by police to admit to being behind the bus bombing that killed two people.

"Innocent Muslims might be tagged as suspects in the bombing and there could always be raids of Muslims like what we experienced following the Rizal Day bombing," he said.

Amiong assured the government of cooperation and information-sharing on the possible presence, activities and movement of outsiders in their communities. He stressed that they will not coddle Muslims with ties to terrorist groups. – Non Alquitran, Pia Lee-Brago