Demolition of Baclaran Mosque during Ramadan Looms

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Demolition of Baclaran Mosque during Ramadan Looms

28 August 2009. Will they demolish our place of worship during our most holy time?

This was the question raised today by a Muslim group concerning the proposed plan by the local government to demolish their Grand Mosque occupying a reclaimed land in Pasay City.

The said area is reportedly being developed for the establishment of commercial establishments, including casinos.

In a statement, Abdelmanan Tanandato, leader of Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Nademolis sa Roxas Boulevard said the government’s plan to demolish their place of worship even during their holiest time is the height of insensitivity and callousness.

"Clearly, at the rate things are going, they are hell bent in destroying our mosque. Proof of this, they even threatened to do it during Ramadan, the holiest period in the religious lives of the Muslims," Tanandato said.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, and indulging in anything that is in excess or ill-natured; from dawn until dusk.

Tanandato said Sheriff Jeffrey Sales of Parañaque Regional Trial Court (RTC) branch 274 served a Notice to Vacate on August 13, 2009, few days before the start of Ramadan.

Signed by lawyer Roberto Makalintal, Jr., branch clerk, the Parañaque RTC issued the notice to Baclaran-Parañaque City Islamic Cultural Center, Inc. and/or to Nasser D. Ramos and Jalil Moluk and Sultan Sohayle Cosain Tanandato, defendants on the reclamation site in Roxas Boulevard.

The notice stated that "all the adverse occupants are hereby given three (3) days from receipt by virtue of the alias writ of execution dated August 11, 2009 to voluntary vacate and peacefully surrender the premises they are occupying."

The notice also said "failure to vacate, the government will be constrained to use force and effect the said order to the full force and limit provided by law."

Tanandato said they filed a Motion to Quash / Hold in Abeyance the writ of execution at the Parañaque RTC last August 14, 2009. The hearing is set on August 28, 2009 (Friday).

"We appeal to the government to hear and exhaust all the legal venues for us to arrive at an amicable settlement of the issue instead of threatening our community with violence and forced eviction," Tanandato said.

Meanwhile, Imam Abdul Fatah Sarip warned that blood might spill if the government will pursue with its plan to demolish the mosque.

"Muslims brothers and sisters would gladly offer their lives during Ramadan if it is the only way to save their place of worship from utter destruction," Sarip said.

Task Force Anti-Eviction, composed of various people’s organizations and NGOs such as Urban Poor Associates (UPA), Community Organizers Multiversity (COM), and Community Organization of the Philippine Enterprise (COPE) Foundation, have been demanding the government to defer the demolition.

Lawyer Bienvenido Salinas II, legal counsel of UPA, said they are also drafting a house resolution in aid of legislation halting the demolition of the mosque. The said resolution is in partnership with ABA-AKO Party-list Rep. Leonardo Montemayor. -30-

Demolition of Mosque a Ticking Time Bomb Says Archbishop Cruz

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Demolition of Mosque a Ticking Time Bomb Says Archbishop Cruz

13 August 2009. The government’s plan to demolish a Mosque is a ticking time bomb, a high-ranking Catholic bishop said in reaction to reports that the Grand Mosque located in Pasay City will be demolished this month to make way for commercial establishments including casinos.

In a statement, Dagupan-Lingayen Archbishop Oscar Cruz said, “The demolition of the mosque is a ticking time bomb because it will cascade into a mishmash of complicated and sensitive religious, cultural and social issues.”

“Destroying a religious symbol in place of a symbol of vice and greed is the height of arrogance and brazenness. It is a violation of Christian and Muslim religious tradition and beliefs,” said Archbishop Cruz, also a known anti-gambling crusader.

According to Islamic law, it is forbidden to destroy houses of worships, including Christian Churches.

“We told the government that we will not leave the mosque. If declaring holy war is the only way to preserve our mosque, we will do it,” said Abdelmanan Tanandato, president of Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Nademolis sa Roxas Boulevard.

Imam Abdul Fatah Sarip said, “If we die during Ramadan for defending our holy mosque, it means we will be rewarded twice by Allah. This gives us more courage to fight for our place of worship even it means our death. Unless the government heeds our call, blood may possibly flow on this disputed land.”

In a May 26 memorandum to Philippine Recalamation Authority, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Transportation and Communications and Office of Muslim Affairs, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita informed government agencies of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s instruction to relocate the entire Mosque structure to a proposed relocation site adjacent to the Coastal Road. The memorandum said the reclaimed land must be cleared to give way to Southwest Public Transport Intermodal Center (Metrotrans).

However, it was reported to Muslim residents that the land, where the Muslim community and mosque are situated, is very valuable and destined for commerce, luxury housing and casinos.

The Task Force Anti-Eviction composed of various people’s organizations and NGOs such as the Urban Poor Associates (UPA), Community Organizers Multiversity (COM) and Community Organization of the Philippine Enterprise (COPE) Foundation said Ramadan is only eight days away and yet the government is ignoring the plea of the Muslim community, civil society organizations and international human rights group to stop its plan to demolish the mosque.

“Evictions are a common problem between government and urban poor people. However, in this particular case, the issue has become complicated as it is in direct conflict with the Muslim community’s religious and cultural beliefs,” said Ted Añana, deputy coordinator of UPA.

“The least that the government can do is to spare this mosque from forced eviction. The government should be reasonable, judicious, and considerate in resolving the problem since this issue or the kind of action to be taken is very sensitive in view of its religious, social, cultural, legal and political ramifications that will certainly have long lasting national and international consequences,” Añana added.

Archbishop Cruz agreed. “Considering the anger and disgust of many Filipino Christians towards the ruling administration, the last thing it needs is the ire and hatred of Filipino Muslims,” Cruz concluded.

Some 14 demolition incidents were monitored in 2008 which affected 2,411 families, according to the UPA. The anti-eviction group is lobbying for the House Bill No. 6675 filed by Aba-Ako Party-List Rep. Leonardo Montemayor. The bill is entitled to “An act securing the rights of urban poor beneficiaries to proper housing amending for the purpose Republic Act 7279 otherwise known as Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA).” It seeks to amend several sections of UDHA to strengthen the protected right of every Filipino to a decent home, and provide sanctions upon those who violate the mandate of the law.

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Government’s Plan to Tear Down Mosque Provokes Muslims to Fight

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Government’s Plan to Tear Down Mosque Provokes Muslims to Fight

08 August 2009. Muslims living near a mosque in Baclaran, Pasay City said they will turn their community into a war zone if the government pushes through with its plan to demolish the mosque to give way for commercial establishments, including casinos.

“Kapag may nasaktan na bata, matanda, at babae, lalaban kami ng patayan,” (If there are children, elderly and women hurt in the demolition, we will fight them to the death) said Abdelmanan Tanandato, leader of Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Nademolis sa Roxas Boulevard.

Tanandato was informed that the muslim community and mosque will be demolished on the first week of August. The plan was later moved to Monday (August 10) “perhaps due to the typhoon and the death of the former President Cory Aquino”.

He said the community is prepared to face the demolition team and they will form a human barricade around the mosque to protect it.

The Task Force Anti-Eviction composed of various people’s organizations and NGOs such as Urban Poor Associates (UPA), Community Organizers Multiversity (COM), and Community Organization of the Philippine Enterprise Foundation (COPE) have asked the government to defer the demolition. “The government should reflect on its plan to pursue the demolition of the mosque now that Ramadan is approaching,” the group said.

Muslims believe that a person is twice saved if he or she dies during Ramadan defending Islam.

“The Muslim people believe it is God’s will that they defend the mosque. The government should allow the Mosque to stay, let it remain amid the infrastructure projects that will be built,” said Ted Añana, deputy coordinator of UPA.

Congressman Leandro Montemayor yesterday sent a letter to Ms. Andrea Domingo, General Manager of Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) to inquire about their position regarding the occupancy status of muslims over this reclaimed property. The objective is to arrive at a peaceful and amicable solution to the problem.

The letter requests PRA to defer the eviction of the Muslim community especially in the light of pending cases at the Pasay City Regional Trial Court and the City Ordinance No. 4411 / moratorium on demolitions.

An international human rights organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE), also shared their concern about the imminent forced eviction of the Baclaran mosque community. They visited the community in 2007 and have followed the case closely since then.

“COHRE has already raised this case with the government of the Philippines and at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, and will again be writing to the relevant Philippine authorities in order to urge them to respect their obligations under international human rights law,” said Dan Nicholson, Asia Pacific programme coordinator of COHRE. -30-

Demolition of Mosque to Spark Bloodshed

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Demolition of Mosque to Spark Bloodshed

31 July 2009. “Blood will flow if the government will pursue the demolition of the mosque. Hundreds of Muslim men and women living outside the mosque will fight the demolition team. They are not afraid to die to preserve the sacred mosque.”

These are the words of Abdelmanan Tanandato. He is the leader of Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Nademolis sa Roxas Boulevard. Their mosque and community are on the reclaimed land in Pasay City opposite Baclaran Church.

According to Tanandato, the mosque on the reclaimed land in Manila Bay is the third biggest mosque in Metro Manila. He remembers that the land for the mosque was part of the sea. It took them three years in landfilling/ reclaiming to produce the 3 hectares to build the mosque. He is sad that the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) is now claiming the land and that the court allows PRA to have full possession of the lot for commerce, luxury housing and casinos.

On 26th of May 2009, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita issued a memorandum, saying that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo instructs government agencies to relocate the mosque.

Issuance of the memorandum alarms the community because they know there will be attempts to demolish the mosque and evict them forcefully. Earlier in 2007, PRA violently demolished their dwellings rendering the elderly, women, and children homeless. In June 2008, another government demolition team came but hundreds of Muslims faced them armed with wooden clubs ready to fight the demolition team to protect their homes and mosque. The demolition was not executed.

Tanandato was informed that there will be demolition the first week of August.

Task Force Anti-Eviction composed of various people’s organizations and NGOs such as Urban Poor Associates (UPA), Community Organizers Multiversity (COM), and Community Organization of the Philippine Enterprise Foundation (COPE) is now helping the community to prevent the violent demolition.

“If the government proceeds with the demolition and eviction, the people will resist—violently most likely. Some may be killed. The mosque will be destroyed-- a sight that has a good chance of appearing in every newspaper in the world,” said Denis Murphy, Executive Director of the UPA. He added that, “the people will also write President Barack Obama if the government persists to execute the demolition of the mosque.”

Atty. Bienvenido Salinas II, legal counsel of UPA and Cong. Leandro Q. Montemayor are drafting a letter of inquiry addressed to Andrea Domingo, General Manager of PRA. In the letter, they reiterate the request to defer the demolition of the Muslim community and defer the plan to relocate the sacred mosque, especially in the light of the pending cases and demolition moratorium ordinance in Pasay City.

Meanwhile, Tanandato is seeking the help of Commission on Human Rights, Congressmen, Senators and the Church to secure and arrive at peaceful and amicable solution to the problem.

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Manila Archbishop leads Mass for the urban poor in Baseco

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Manila Archbishop leads Mass for the urban poor in Baseco

19 October 2008. Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales went to the Port Area this morning and lead a Mass in Baseco to pray and show that the Church is one with the urban poor community’s struggle for a better life.

Hundreds of Manila’s urban poor settlers attended the Mass held in the Baseco covered court. The poor wanted Cardinal Rosales to come and say the Mass and the Manila Archbishop welcomed the rare opportunity.

Rosales’ visit delighted the Baseco community. “Sana ay maging socialized housing ang Baseco at di na baguhin pa. Naging maayos na ang buhay namin. Kami ay natutuwa dahil nandito si Cardinal at siya ay sumusuporta sa aming kahilingan. Sana ay pakinggan ito ni Presidente Gloria Macapagal Arroyo,” said Jeorgie Tenolete, president of Kabalikat sa Pagpapaunlad ng Baseco, a people’s organization.

Baseco residents have the problem of land tenure insecurity: they fear they can be removed from their homes at any time and for insufficient reasons. The 10,000 families in Baseco fear they will be evicted due to the government’s reclamation project and sent 50-80 kilometers away to remote and jobless areas.

The land was proclaimed for them by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2002. They believe powerful and well-connected businessmen want the strategic area for commercial purposes.

The government cites a 2004 soil analysis that predicts the soil in Baseco will liquefy if there is a strong earthquake nearby. The study concludes that no homes are safe and all the homes must be removed. This is because the reclamation done in Baseco by the government used garbage instead of good soil and rocks, the analysis states.

A cloud of secrecy covers the government’s real plans, according to Urban Poor Associates (UPA), a housing rights NGO. “The residents should be told what the plan is, and if there is no plan then government should put that in writing and continue instead to upgrade the area as the proclamation states,” the UPA said in a press statement.

UPA invited the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) to attend the Mass in Baseco. However, PRA officials could not attend the Mass due to “some unavoidable circumstances.”

In a letter sent to UPA, PRA General Manager and CEO Andrea Domingo informed that the PRA is presently complying with the directive of President Arroyo to reclaim 10 hectares at the bayfront of the Baseco area. “Upon completion of the reclamation works, PRA will turn over to the agency that will undertake its development as site for socialized housing. Beyond this PRA will no longer have any participation in the project,” the letter read.

“We’re asking the President to issue the implementing rules and regulation (IRR) that will lay down the processes and steps leading to the families’ ownership of the land and to convene the Project Inter-Agency Committee,” said Ted Añana, UPA deputy coordinator. -30-