Barias meet with Muslim leaders in Metro Manila, deny reports that NCRPO doubling its security in Muslim areas

Miami
August 20, 2008
Story: Barias meet with Muslim leaders in Metro Manila, deny reports that NCRPO doubling its security in Muslim areas

Philippine National Police National Capital Region Police Office (PNP-NCRPO) Regional Director Geary Barias meet with Muslim leaders for their regular Salaam meeting at his office in camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

Last May 28, 2008, NCRPO launches the Salaam Police Center on each district of Metro Manila to have a better coordination between Muslim Community and Policemen. They are conducting regular meetings every third week of the month.

During the press conference, Barias said the meeting also clears some concern of the Muslims, “that because of the conflict in Mindanao discrimination among our Muslim brothers and sisters will not happen.”

Barias assures the Muslim who attended the meeting, that whenever there will be police operations that will be directly affect a Muslim, policemen assigned in a Salaam Police Station on a district will be also part of the operations to assure that their rights will not be violated.

In return, Office of Muslim Affairs (OMA) Regional Director for NCR Hassam Dalimbang said that they will do their very best in order to maintain peace and order in Manila. He also said that they are confident that what is happening in Mindanao will not also happen in Manila.

“Whatever is happening in Mindanao, we will not let it happen here in Manila. If problem start to occur, I want the Salaam Police Center to take action and to enforce the law,” Dalimbang said.

Aside from policemen assigned in Salaam Police Center there are also some Muslim civilian volunteers who will be stationed on the said Center. The volunteers will help the police understand the culture of the Muslims, at the same time the Muslim volunteers have to orient their community on the works of the police in order for them to understand that the Police are not targeting them as suspects all the time.

As of this moment, they already have about 50 Muslim volunteers on all district office; Manila, Quezon City, Southern, Northern and Eastern.

Meanwhile, Barias also said that they are not doubling their security measures in Muslim areas in Metro Manila, “We will leave that to our Salaam Police Center they can handle that, it is not true that we are doubling our security their.”