PRO-6 holds Muslim leaders' summit in WV

ILOILO CITY, Philippines  — Around 200 Muslims in Western Visayas converged yesterday for the Muslim Community Leaders Summit at the Police Regional Office-6 headquarters at Camp Delgado in the city.

Sponsored by the Directorate for Police Community Relations and PRO6 Salaam Police Center, the one-day meeting adopted the theme "Ugnayan ng Mamayang Muslim at Pulisaya Tungo sa Mapayapang Pamayanan."

Chief Supt. Cipriano Querol, Jr., PRO-6 director and also the Sultan of Panay, said the rationale of the summit was to "revitalize and institutionalize to the police and community," the relationship of which is "essential in rebuilding the trust and confidence of our people in the police."

Querol told The FREEMAN: "We must interact with them (the community), listen to their needs, and build safer communities together."

A similar summit will also be done in other parts of the country as part of the PNP project, in line with PNP chief Director General Raul Bacalzo's Eight Foundation Initiatives, which seeks to enlist community-police partnership in peacekeeping efforts.

At least 200 of the more than 10,000 Muslims from 22 communities in Region 6 attended the summit. "The summit will serve as venue for exchange of ideas between the PNP and our Muslim brothers," Querol said.

Among the topics discussed were human rights; Islamic for peace and unity; practical appreciation of Barangay Peace Action Teams (BPATs); Islam: the religion of democracy and moderation; and concept of martyrdom in Islam.

During his stint as PRO-6 director, Querol said there was no Muslim ever involved in major crimes. "They were involved but only as members of BPATs, which has been active peacekeeping efforts of the community," he said.

Prior to this, PRO6 also conducted an inter-faith dialogue with some 20 leaders from various religious denominations in Western Visayas.

"Time and again, we are reiterating that the backbone of our anti-criminality and anti-insurgency campaigns is the support of the community. And what better way to achieve it than soliciting the help of every member of the community," Querol said. (FREEMAN)