Thousands of residents here protested against the signing of a preliminary accord granting minority Muslims an expanded homeland in Mindanao, the birth place of Islam in the Philippines.
Police estimate more than 3,000 people participated in the peacefu rally on Monday denouncing the inclusion of the city in the proposed Bangsamoro Juridical Entity that would give Bangsamoros wide powers over their resource-rich local economy.
In the mass protest, the crowd gathered in front of City Hall, wearing red shirts, carrying placards and displaying banners and streamers with markings "Yes To Peace! No To Inclusion of Zamboanga In Bangsamoro Juridical Entity" "Let Us Be United In this Fight To Retain The Integrity And Sovereignty of Zamboanga City."
Mayor Celso Lobregat, House Rep. Maria Isabelle Climaco, Zamboanga Sibugay Gov. George Hofer, Archbishop Romulo Valles of Zamboanga, Bishop Martin Jomuad of Basilan, and other local officials including councilors and barangay chairmen spearheaded the anti-BJE rally.
Last July 27, the Philippine government and the MILF initialed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on ancestral domain which will be signed by the Philippine government and the MILF in Putrajaya, Malaysia on August 5.
Under the MOA, the government and the 11,000-member MILF will try to reach a "Comprehensive Compact/Final Peace Agreement" in 15 months.
A plebiscite in 721 villages adjacent to the existing Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao will take place within twelve months after the signing, where residents of villages who do not want to be part of an expanded ARMM should simply say 'no' in the plebiscite.
In a speech, Lobregat stressed that the Zamboangueños are for peace – an honorable, just and lasting peace but are against the inclusion of Zamboanga or any part of its territory in the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE).
The mayor and Congresswoman Climaco of District I and Congressman Erico Basilio Fabian of District II have also filed with the Supreme Court a petition pleading for a temporary restraining order against the signing of the accord.
"In Zamboanga, we have always live in harmony we have always live in peace. We are all for peace but as a city as a people we do not want to be part of the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity," Lobregat said.
"What kind of peace are we seeking when you victimized a three-year old innocent civilian? Are we really talking about the peace for all of us stakeholders in Mindanao that have been denied the right of information?" Climaco asked.
For a Muslim alderman, Councilor Abdurahman Nuño, a close political ally of Lobregat and president of the City's Association of Barangay Council (ABC), assured that never or in no way that they will stay out from Zamboanga. He did not elaborate.
Another Muslim alderman, Taib Alejo of Isabela City, Basilan, said: "We Isabeleños, we vehemently and sadistically oppose of the inclusion of Isabela to the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity.
Isabela City Councilor Peter Eisma said that in 2001 plebiscite, the people of Isabela had opted not to be included in the Muslim autonomous region but the national government continued to ignore their voice.
"Where is our voice now? As what they said Vox Populi Vox Dei (the voice of the people is the voice from God)," he said.
A business group leader also expressed strong opposition to the signing of MOA on Bangsamoro homeland accord and appealed to President Arroyo to exercise her statesmanship by listening to the desire of the people of Zamboanga to be excluded in the BJE.
"By doing so, she will listen to the sentiment of the Zamboangueños who have expressed twice in the past plebiscites that we do not want to be a part and parcel of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao."
Also owners of business establishments in the city's commercial center, including malls, fast food chains and grocery stores, have closed shops for two hours in protest to the Bangsamoro homeland deal between the Philippine government and the MILF.
Police estimate more than 3,000 people participated in the peacefu rally on Monday denouncing the inclusion of the city in the proposed Bangsamoro Juridical Entity that would give Bangsamoros wide powers over their resource-rich local economy.
In the mass protest, the crowd gathered in front of City Hall, wearing red shirts, carrying placards and displaying banners and streamers with markings "Yes To Peace! No To Inclusion of Zamboanga In Bangsamoro Juridical Entity" "Let Us Be United In this Fight To Retain The Integrity And Sovereignty of Zamboanga City."
Mayor Celso Lobregat, House Rep. Maria Isabelle Climaco, Zamboanga Sibugay Gov. George Hofer, Archbishop Romulo Valles of Zamboanga, Bishop Martin Jomuad of Basilan, and other local officials including councilors and barangay chairmen spearheaded the anti-BJE rally.
Last July 27, the Philippine government and the MILF initialed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on ancestral domain which will be signed by the Philippine government and the MILF in Putrajaya, Malaysia on August 5.
Under the MOA, the government and the 11,000-member MILF will try to reach a "Comprehensive Compact/Final Peace Agreement" in 15 months.
A plebiscite in 721 villages adjacent to the existing Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao will take place within twelve months after the signing, where residents of villages who do not want to be part of an expanded ARMM should simply say 'no' in the plebiscite.
In a speech, Lobregat stressed that the Zamboangueños are for peace – an honorable, just and lasting peace but are against the inclusion of Zamboanga or any part of its territory in the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE).
The mayor and Congresswoman Climaco of District I and Congressman Erico Basilio Fabian of District II have also filed with the Supreme Court a petition pleading for a temporary restraining order against the signing of the accord.
"In Zamboanga, we have always live in harmony we have always live in peace. We are all for peace but as a city as a people we do not want to be part of the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity," Lobregat said.
"What kind of peace are we seeking when you victimized a three-year old innocent civilian? Are we really talking about the peace for all of us stakeholders in Mindanao that have been denied the right of information?" Climaco asked.
For a Muslim alderman, Councilor Abdurahman Nuño, a close political ally of Lobregat and president of the City's Association of Barangay Council (ABC), assured that never or in no way that they will stay out from Zamboanga. He did not elaborate.
Another Muslim alderman, Taib Alejo of Isabela City, Basilan, said: "We Isabeleños, we vehemently and sadistically oppose of the inclusion of Isabela to the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity.
Isabela City Councilor Peter Eisma said that in 2001 plebiscite, the people of Isabela had opted not to be included in the Muslim autonomous region but the national government continued to ignore their voice.
"Where is our voice now? As what they said Vox Populi Vox Dei (the voice of the people is the voice from God)," he said.
A business group leader also expressed strong opposition to the signing of MOA on Bangsamoro homeland accord and appealed to President Arroyo to exercise her statesmanship by listening to the desire of the people of Zamboanga to be excluded in the BJE.
"By doing so, she will listen to the sentiment of the Zamboangueños who have expressed twice in the past plebiscites that we do not want to be a part and parcel of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao."
Also owners of business establishments in the city's commercial center, including malls, fast food chains and grocery stores, have closed shops for two hours in protest to the Bangsamoro homeland deal between the Philippine government and the MILF.
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