Safety vs. ‘extremism’

ISLAM IS PEACE --- Lt. Col. Edwin Alburo, chief of the 57th Infantry Battalion, stresses a point during the Symposium on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism at the municipal gymnasium in Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao last January 26. The 57th IB vows to actively join in upcoming anti-terrorism symposia in its area of responsibility in the province to educate locals on rejecting attempts of recruitment by local terrorist groups and shun the practice of violent extremism. (PHOTO COURTESY OF 57TH IB, MINDANAO EXPOSE')

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao  --- The chief of the Army’s 57th Infantry Battalion (57IB) has assured Muslim religious leaders and residents that government forces will continue to protect communities against "violent extremism" being propagated by the Islamic State-linked Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Maguindanao.

Lt. Col. Edwin Alburo made the assurance in his speech during the “Symposium on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE)” at the municipal gymnasium of Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao last January 26.

“As far as I know, Islam does not teach killing of innocent people. It does not teach killing of children and women, and that we do not understand what part of Islam teaching the terrorists are following,” Alburo said.

Alburo described Islam as "a religion of peace," while accusing the BIFF of indoctrinating recruits with "wrong teachings of Islam," such as violence.

He said that as long as the 57th IB is in Maguindanao, they would support the peaceful practice of Islam and protect "peace-loving communities."

The 57th IB has jurisdiction over the towns of Datu Piang, Datu Salibo, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Mamasapano, and Datu Unsay, all in Maguindanao.

In support of the “Development Security and Support Plan (DSSP) - Kapayapaan,” Alburo said the 57th IB -- through its Community Support Program (CSP) -- will actively participate in educating the locals with the ultimate goal of insulating the populace from terrorism and preventing violent extremism.

The plan includes inviting to symposiums Islamic theologians such as “Imams” and “Ustadz” who are managing Madaris (Islamic schools) in the province, the Army official said.

Last Sunday, Sheikh Abuhuraira Udasan, Mufti (Islamic leader) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) attended the symposium which was also joined by some 150 religious personalities coming from different barangays in six municipalities included in the area of responsibility of the 57th IB. (EDWIN FERNANDEZ, PNA – COTABATO, MINDANAO EXPOSE')