By Jong
Cadion
PAGADIAN
CITY, Zamboanga del Sur (November 24, 2016) - The Pagadian City-Zamboanga del
Sur Interfaith Forum Solidarity and Peace will once again spearhead the annual
week-long celebration of Mindanao Week of Peace (MWP) 2016 Wednesday November
23 and to be culminated during the celebration of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights on December 10, 2016.
Ibrahim
'Bong' Balimbingan, this year 2016 MWP chairman of the steering committee said
that the celebration is the 16th year after the Presidential Proclamation No
127 by then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on November 2000. This year's
celebration carrying the theme "Respecting and Protecting Life: A Celebration
of the Filipino Spirit".
Balimbingan
disclosed that the week-long celebration program showcasing different series of
activities started at 2pm with a press conference hosted by the Police
Provincial Office headed by Provincial Director Senior Supt. Sofronio P.
Ecaldre who dicussed the status of Peace and Order in this city and province
including the ongoing War against Illegal Drugs and followed immediately by a
Candle Lighting and simple program at 5pm in front of Rizal Park, City Hall
Complex in this city.
The
candle lighting is also in collaboration with the celebration of the 7th year
Maguindanao Massacre that were jointly hosted by National Union of Journalists
of the Philippines (NUJP) Pagadian City Chapter, ZamboSur-Pagadian City Press
Club Inc. (ZPPI), Amnesty International (AIPh) Pagadian Group Region 9-B and
the members of Interfaith.
The
participating organizations had read their respective statement regarding their
stand on the situation of the Maguindanao massacre especially the protection of
some witnesses of the incident that were killed and the delayed of justice
given to the victims and the demand to stop impunity of killing journalists in
pursuit of public service to the Filipino people in the Philippine media
industry. While the Amnesty International also strongly demand the present
administration to respect human rights and passing of Freedom Of Information
bill or law (FOI), and also the local press club and the interfaith has the
same statement of support.
Joining
also the MWP activities were the members of Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil
Society (CBCS), Ummah Fi Salam (UFS), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs),
Business Community and National and Local Gov't Agencies, and different
schools, he said.
He said
that one of the highlights from the series of activities of MWP is the
community dialogue that reduces criminalities and personal conflict like family
or clan feud (Rido) participated by the multi-sectoral group including Muslim
and Christian leaders, Local Government Units (LGUs) of the city, PNP’s
municipal chief of police from 26 municipalities of this province and this
city, Army’s 53rd Infantry Battalion and DILG.
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