Duterte to Muslims: 'Be brave, keep the faith'

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte has called on Filipino Muslims to be brave and keep the faith as the country deals with various challenges.

“As Muslims all over the world honor this remarkable sacrifice, I hope that you will be more inspired to embody courage and conviction in all of the challenges we face as a nation,” Duterte said in his Eid al-Adha message. 

“Ibrahim’s faithfulness taught us the way toward a strong spiritual foundation that is guided by our shared values of compassion, selflessness and hope. Today, we do not only commemorate the admirable act of being obedient in one’s God but also celebrate the significance of our faith in our pursuit of meaningful transformation,” Duterte said.

The President expressed hope that the celebration would bind Filipinos in their common hope to build “diverse communities that is rooted in mutual respect and peace.”

“I trust that in the midst of our religious traditions, we will find the strength and inspiration to live a life that transcends social, political and cultural barriers,” the President said.

Duterte also urged Muslims to foster unity and harmony among people of various faiths.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) strengthened its security measures to ensure that Muslims from other countries would not be able to use the Philippines as their jump-off point to attend the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval cited an incident in August 2016 when hundreds of Indonesian and Malaysians were intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport for using fake passports and claiming to be Filipinos. – Evelyn Macairan

Related video: