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 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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