‘No violation of human rights’

Metro police chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco assured the public yesterday that police teams hunting down escaped Indonesian bomb expert Fathur Roman Al-Ghozi and two Abu Sayyaf members would not be violating human rights.

"Everything should be done in accordance with the law," Velasco stated in his directive to the five police district directors of the metropolis.

Velasco gave the assurance amid complaints by residents of Muslim communities that the raiding teams were not armed with search warrants and did not properly coordinate with barangay officials in areas concerned.

In the last five days, Metro Manila police raided Muslim communities in Quiapo and Isla Puting Bato in Tondo, Manila, Payatas and North Fairview in Quezon City and Maharlika Village in Taguig.

However, police have found no signs that Al-Ghozi and two Abu Sayyaf men, Abdulmukim Ong Edris and Omar Opik in said raids. Instead, police teams have arrested a number of persons for possession of unlicensed firearms, deadly weapons and for acting "suspiciously."

In the Isla Puting Bato raid, police were met by gunfire from two unidentified men in a squatter colony. Nobody was hurt and one man was arrested for possession of an unlicensed firearm.

Taking into consideration the complaints of residents, Velasco said that from now on, "police raiders should be armed with warrants of arrest when they conduct raids on suspected hiding places of Al-Ghozi and his companions."

He also called for proper coordination with the religious and barangay leaders for the peaceful conduct of the raids.

"We are doing our best not to commit any violation of human rights," Velasco said. "It is proper for us to coordinate our actions with barangay and religious leaders."

According to the Metro police chief, the raids were conducted after police received reports from concerned citizens that Al-Ghozi and his cohorts were in the area.

"We are working on several leads provided to us by the concerned public," Velasco said. "My men have reached as far as Cavite to look for Al-Ghozi, but our operations have turned out negative."

The Metro police, Velasco said, are on alert to prevent Al-Ghozi and his cohorts from conducting new attacks in the metropolis in an effort further embarrass the Arroyo administration.

Velasco also reminded the five police directors not to lower their guard on other forms of criminality, especially the illegal drug trade.

Meanwhile, the Moro Christian People Alliance (MCPA) has condemned what it called "the rampage of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Muslim communities.

"Once again Muslims have become the targets of the government’s own blunder. The Muslim community should not be dragged into the Al-Ghozi fiasco," MCPA spokesman Cosain Naga Jr. said.

Naga stressed that Al-Ghozi’s escape is just being capitalized by the government to renew its attacks on Muslim communities.

"President Arroyo should not take out on Muslims this international embarrassment. If there is anyone to be held accountable, she should not look further than her supposed loyal generals," he said.

Further emphasizing the ill effects of the crackdown on Muslim communities, Naga said: "Muslims are always used to cover up for every blunder the government commits. Every presidency has always capitalized on the stereotype that Muslims are terrorists. This is the bane that the Bangsamoro people was made to live through under every president that ever came to power."