Philippine Muslim Today by Philippine Muslim Today

Remembering Ibrahim and Ishma’il Mehol K. Sadain | Page A5

Era of tyrants, age of the people

Unintended loss of weight

No talk means absence of care

STOP using the word “moromoro”

Homobono A. Adaza | Page A6

Benj Bangahan | Page A7

Ali G. Macabalang | Page A6

Julmunir I. Jannaral | Page A5

Eid’l Adha Mubarak! Bearer of Glad Tidings Vol. I, No. 07 | July 31-August 6, 2020 (Dhu’l-Hijjah 10-16, 1441)

| 12 Pages | Phiulippines

Special Report: PILGRIMS ON THE DAY OF ARAFAT

Eid’l Adha, A Feast of Sacrifice: A Test of Faith amid the Covid-19 By JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL Managing Editor

bout 1.6 billion Muslims around the world will mark on Friday, July 31, the Eid’l Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice which is one of the two major Muslim annual festivals, after the new moon was not sighted on Tuesday, July 21, the 29th day of Dhul Qa’dah, the month preceding Dhul Hijjah, the 10th day of which falls the Eid’l Adha. As the Hijrah Calendar is based on the movement of the moon, moon-sighting in the Hijrah calendar is always done every 29th of each month and once it is sighted the first day of the next Hijrah month starts the following day. But if it not sighted, the present month shall have to be completed 30 days and henceforth begins the next month. (Full story on Page A2)

Inside Kalang: A hidden fisher’s paradise jn Tandubas, Tawi-Tawi

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School of Living Tradition for Mat Weaving Proposed in Tandubas

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Restricted Hajj begins on Wednesday Only a few thousand pilgrims obtained a permit.

restricted Hajj (pilgrimage) to the Holy City of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, due to the coronavirus pandemic began on Wednesday. The pilgrimage to the holy city this year will include only a few thousand people compared to the average 2.5 million pilgrims of the past few years. Saudi State television showed images of small groups of pilgrims waiting in line, with gloves and shields, through various stations of Hajj (pilgrimage in Arabic) until the traditional walk around the Kaaba at the center of the mosque of Mecca, the holiest site for Islam. Huge crowds were shown on television in the last few years as they proceeded along the pilgrimage. Saudi Arabia announced that it only granted permits for the pilgrimage to about 1,000 people from Saudi and other countries who were already residing

in the Gulf kingdom. Pan Arab media reported that some 10,000 people are taking part in the pilgrimage, which will last until Sunday, August 2. The pilgrimage to the Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam and each Muslim, with exceptions due to age and disease, among others, should take it at least once in a lifetime. Saudi Arabia usually earns some 10 million euros a year for the pilgrimage. This year restricted pilgrimage will bring financial losses to the Saudi kingdom already suffering from a regional financial crisis before the Covid-19 pandemic. ANSA

News

Vol. I, No. 07 | July 31-August 6, 2020 (Dhu’l-Hijjah 10-16, 1441)

Eid’l Adha, A Feast of Sacrifice: A Test of Faith amid the Covid-19

Republic of the Philippines Office of the President

NATIONAL COMMISSION ON MUSLIM FILIPINOS

Eid’l Adha Message of the NCMF Secretary

By JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL Managing Editor

PILGRIMS AT JABAL AR-RAHMAH: A File photo of Muslim Filipino pilgrims with the Philippine flag hoisted at the background. They are from the Province of Tawi-Tawi and a group of Jamaa headed by Sheikh Dr. Kaberl O. Hajilan posing for posterity at the foot of Mount of Mercy in Arafat as they perform their Hajj. (Courtesy of Sheikh Dr. Kaberl O. Hajilan) As the Hijrah Calendar is based on the movement of the moon, moon-sighting in the Hijrah calendar is always done every 29th of each month and once it is sighted the first day of the next Hijrah month starts the following day. But if it not sighted, the present month shall have to be completed 30 days and henceforth begins the next month. According to the Saudi Gazette report from Riyadh, the Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court said the Day of Arafat was on July 30 (Thursday) and July 31 (Friday) will be the first day of Eid'l Adha. Aleem Said Ahmad Basher, chairman of the Imam Council of the Philippines told the Philippine Muslim Today that July 21 (Tuesday) is the 30th of Dhul Qa’dah, and July 22 (Wednesday) marked the first day of Dhul Hijjah. Thus, Eid'l Adha was declared to be on July 31 (Friday), as announced also by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). Aleem Basher said the announcement followed the confirmation by a local moonsighting committee formed to determine the beginning of the last month of the Islamic calendar. COVID-19 affects Hajj 2020 However, Hajj 2020 is very much affected by the menace of Covid-19 pandemic where for the first time in history there is no Hajj delegation

from the Philippines as well as from other countries. Basher said most Imams consider the absence of no single Filipino pilgrim from the Philippines due to the pandemic as a test of faith not only for Muslims but also among non-Muslims throughout the world who are also sacrificing due to the menace of Covid-19 pandemic. 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah Basher said on the 9th of the month of Dhu alHijjah pilgrims go to Arafat from Mina, for the most important part of the Hajj. The Khutbah of Hajj is narrated and Zuhr and Asr Prayers are prayed together. The pilgrims spend the whole day on the mountain to supplicate to Allah to forgive their sins and to pray for personal strength in the future. He said Mount Arafat which is transliterated as Jabal ʿArafāt is a granite hill about 20 km (12 m) east of central Makkah in the plain of Arafat in the Hejaz, Saudi Arabia. Mount of Mercy Mount Arafat reaches about 70 m (230 ft) in height, and is also known as the "Mount of Mercy" (Jabal ArRaḥmah). He said according to some Islamic tradition, the hill is the place where Prophet Muhammad stood and delivered the Farewell Sermon to the Muslims who had accompanied him for the Hajj towards the end of his life.

Muslims also say that it is also the place where Adam and Eve (Hawa) reunited on Earth after falling from Heaven, and where Adam was forgiven, hence it is known as the "Mount of Mercy." A pillar is erected to show the place where the reunification of Adam and Eve took place. Arafat Rituals Arafat rituals end at sunset and pilgrims then move to Muzdalifah for Maghrib prayer and a shortened Isha prayer and for a short rest. Aleem Basher said the level area surrounding the hill is called the Plain of Arafat. The term Mount Arafat is sometimes applied to this entire area. He said it is an important place in Islam because during the Hajj, pilgrims spend the afternoon there on the ninth day of Dhu al-Hijjah. The Chairman of the Imam Council of the Philippines also warned that failure to be present in the plain of Arafat on the required day invalidates the pilgrimage. BPE-NCMF confirms no Filipino pilgrims Meanwhile, Director Malo Manonggiring of the Bureau of Pilgrimage and Endowment (BPE) of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) last month confirmed to the Philippine Muslim Today of the no participation from the Philippines including pilgrims from other countries in this year’s hajj mainly due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Eid’l Adha | A3

Atty. SAIDAMEN B. PANGARUNGAN Secretary

The Islamic Values of Sacrifice

s we celebrate Eid’l Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice, let us reflect on the resolve of prophet Abraham's [or Ibrahim’s] attempted sacrifice of his son to Allah, a most daring show of faith. Our undying sacrifice truly resonates now more than ever on this very special day in the Muslim faith. To those who are privileged enough to stay in their homes to comply with the public health precautions, I honor your empathy rooted in discipline and self-restraint. To the better off, I acknowledge the willingness to share your resources to the less fortunate who are in dire need, and on this day, the provision ofqurbani to those who cannot afford it. To the frontliners and those who toil while exercising health standards, I honor your dedication and the skill you put in your work despite the risks to your lives. Our selfless service must continue to brazenly fuel our country’s response to the present challenges. To those who are most vulnerable during these times, those who lost their livelihood, the locally stranded, those who became sick of COVID-19, those who lost loved ones and to all those in pain and suffering during these trying times, yours are the sacrifice that I honor the highest. But please know that the day will come when these will all be lifted from your shoulders. Keep the faith. You are seen. Help is forthcoming. As we solemnly remember Ibrahim’s great sacrifice, let us offer our prayers and supplications to the ending of this global health crisis. Let us unite as one nation through concerted action of every Filipino under the able leadership of our beloved President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. Sacrifices enable our victories. The highest of sacrifices are the reasons for the most celebrated of victories. May you all recognize the value of your sacrifice. And, despite everything that we are facing right now, let us greet each other Eid Mubarak! (SGD) SAIDAMEN B. PANGARUNGAN Secretary

News

Vol. I, No. 07 | July 31-August 6, 2020 (Dhu’l-Hijjah 10-16, 1441)

EID’L ADHA | from page A2

Eid’l Adha, A Feast of Sacrifice: Director Manonggiring made the confirmation after he and NCMF Secretary Saidamen Pangarungan met Saudi Ambassador Abdullah N.A. Al Bussairy at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Manila to discuss the latest developments about Hajj 2020. Ambassador Al Bussairy informed Pilgrimage Director Manonggiring and NCMF Secretary Pangarungan that according to the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, the Saudi government has limited the Haj 2020 to their citizens and expatriates living inside the Kingdom. However in accordance with the World Health protocols of social distancing still the number of pilgrims are also very limited. The decision of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in effect bars all pilgrims coming from other countries to the Kingdom during this Hajj 2020. The Saudi ambassador explained that the decision was reached “to ensure that the hajj ritual is conducted in a healthy and safe manner and that it meets the requirements for the prevention and social distancing necessary for the safety of the pilgrims, and to protect them from the dangers of the Coronavirus [COVID-19].” Secretary Pangarungan welcomed the Saudi decision as he expressed the primordial objectives of the two respective governments of the Philippines and the Kingdom in fighting the virus globally and supporting the efforts of health organizations in controlling the spread of the deadly virus. The NCMF Secretary also announced that all paid pilgrims may either leave their Mutawiff payments in the NCMF as their priority reservation for next year’s pilgrimage or apply for a refund of the amounts they paid. Those who will opt for a refund shall file their application with the NCMF regional office where they registered in accrdance with the procedure for the refund of the Mutawiff payments. Filipino Muslim leaders say Eid Mubarak Nevertheless, several Muslim leaders have expressed their warmest Eid on Eid'l Adha to all Muslim Filipinos though nobody from the Philippines has left for Makkah to physically participate in the Hajj ritual of Tawaf or circumambulating seven times around Kaaba. Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Member of Parliament Hadji Eddie Mapag Alih of Tawi-Tawi in his warmest greetings said, “On this blessed day of Eid'l Adha, we are celebrating and

commemorating the sacrifice of Ibrahim ,)‫(عليه السالم‬a moment when he was put to a litmus test that we couldn’t possibly fathom. Embedded in this story of sacrifice is a profound meaning that I believe we could all benefit from especially in these trying times. “In one way or another, we are all struggling and engaged in some form of sacrifice just to survive and provide for our loved ones amidst a pandemic the world has never seen. But we are holding on to dear life because coded in the DNA of a Muslim is the concept of optimism and hope." MP Alih said further, "We know in our heart of hearts, that divine wisdom is at play. That if we put our trust and hope in Allah ,)‫(سبحانه وتعالى‬ eventually we will triumph. Just as how Ibrahim )‫(عليه السالم‬ and his son, Ismail ,)‫(عليه السالم‬ were victorious in overcoming their ultimate test. In our darkest hours, we remind ourselves of the saying of Muhammad )‫(ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص‬that, ‘amazing is the affair of the believer, verily his entire affair is good. If good befalls him he is grateful and that is good for him. If harm befalls him he is patient and that is good for him’." The MP from Tawi-Tawi has also called on the Bangsamoro people to be united and stay closer to one another as well as his recognition of the sacrifices of the front-liners during this pandemic. "May Allah )‫(سبحانه وتعالى‬ grant us patience and may the eeman in our hearts illuminate and resonate in the world. May this Eid be a means to bring hope to the Bangsamoro people and unite us shoulder to shoulder with our feet firmly planted on the ground against all odds and adversities for the sake of Allah .)‫(سبحانه وتعالى‬And may Allah bless our frontliners and grant them steadfastness in their struggles and sacrifice. And may Allah grant the casualties of this Ummah during this pandemic martyrdom and jannatul firdaus. Allahumma ameen." Another Muslim leader wrote to the Philippine Muslim Today to extend too his Eid'l Adha warmest greetings to the Bangsamoro people especially the Muslim Ummah in the Philippines. Datu Yusoph Boyog Mama, reigning Masirikampo sa Marawi (Traditional Royal Ruler of Marawi) also has a message for the Muslim Ummah. Datu Yusoph Boyog Mama said, “In the midst of the global pandemic, greatly affecting all human communities, I wish to respectfully share with our brothers and sisters in the Islamic Ummah that just like the exemplary sacrifice of the patriarch, Nabi Ibrahim, our steadfastness and humility in

demonstrating the best qualities of a good Muslim is eventually rewarded by the Almighty. The story of Ibrahim and his beloved son Ishmael is in fact a testament that piety, kind-heartedness, and unwavering devotion to Allah (SWT) overcome and weather trials on earth and in our lives. Eid'l Adha, and the Islamic practice of the Qurbani, therefore, commemorates the Almighty's divine mercy for mankind and a reminder that as Muslims we should always work together as one community and extend succor and a ready helping hand to our own family, our relatives and friends, and the needy sectors of society that require our assistances the most." Datu Mama, who is also regarded as a Muslim technocrat having been elected at a time as National President of the NCCESO (National Council of Career Executive Service Organizations) adds, "It is generally regarded that Eid'l Adha is the holier of the two most important Islamic holidays, because whilst Eid'l Fitr commemorates the inward Jihad of spiritual purification through fasting and prayers, Eid'l Adha retells the ultimate sacrifice that a Mohmeen can make-- which is the sacrifice of our most cherished possessions (in the case of Ibrahim is his firstborn son, Ishmael) to satisfy and pass the divine test set by the Almighty. But all things considered, it is the "devotion" and niyyah (intention) that matter most and made acceptable to Allah (SWT) according to our Islamic understanding; and we hope that in these days of serious health and economic crisis period for the majority globally, we can all come together and be devoted to looking after our kinsmen and constituencies in the Bangsamoro, the Philippine Muslim society who need our caring leadership the most. The challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic is an opportunity to bring out the best in us as Muslims, and I believe we should stand by and support the proven sincerity and very able leadership of the present BARMM government in this regard. A meaningful Eid Mubarak to all!" Hajj the 5th Pillar of Islam Aleem Basher, said Eid’l Adha is the highlight of the performance of the fifth pillar of Islam, which is Hajj or Pilgrimage to Makkah (Mecca) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Eid’l Adha is the second major festival of Islam aside from Eid’l Fitr that marks the end of Ramadan, the 4th pillar of Islam, when Muslims

“Keep logbook for contact tracing,” Marawi establishments told

ARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur – In view of the sudden spike of Covid-19 positive cases in Marawi City due to the influx of its returning residents either coming from abroad or from other at-risk areas, the city government of Marawi has ordered all business establishments within the city to maintain a guest book where visitors are required to log on their details for proper authorities to use for contact tracing. In his Executive Order No.2020-039, series of 2020, issued on July 27, Mayor Majul U. Gandamra ordered all establishments, be it private or public offices, commercial establishments, hospitals, schools, and any other establishments within the territorial jurisdiction of the Islamic City of Marawi to maintain a guest record book/ logbook stating therein the names, addresses, contact numbers, recent travels, and current temperatures of their guests. “Such guest record books shall be used by proper authorities as a tool for contact tracing,” Gandamra ordered. He said, “Violators of this Executive Order shall be dealt with accordingly by the filing of the appropriate cases be it criminal, administrative, or ciil in nature as maybe warranted under existing laws otthe Republic of the Philippines and/or the applicable ordinance/s issued by the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the Islamic City of Marawi.” MASIDING NOOR YAHYA are bound by their faith to observe fasting for 29 or 30 days. He also cited that Eid’l Adha is a commemoration of Prophet Ibrahim or Abraham’s unwavering faith in God and Ishmael’s acceptance of his fate. Eid'l Adha, the Feast of Sacrifice Hence, the feast of sacrifice or Festival of Sacrifice or Greater Eid is an important religious holiday observed by Muslims worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Abraham (Ibrahim) to sacrifice his son Ishmael (Isma’il) as an act of obedience to God. “This is in the same situation when God tested the faith of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ishmael,” he added.

Meanwhile, Aleem Basher also made further explanation on Eid’l Adha saying that it is one of two major Eid festivals observed by Muslims wherein the basis of which comes from Sura 2 (Al- Baqara) Ayah 196 in the Qur’an. The word “Eid” appears in Sura al-Mai’da (The Table Spread, Chapter 5) of the Qur’an, meaning solemn festival, he added. Thus he also emphasized that Eid’l Adha is observed annually on the 10th day of the last Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah of the lunar Islamic calendar. Like Eid’l-fitr, Eid’l Adha begins with a prayer of two rak’at (units) followed by a sermon (khutbah) which is equivalent to two rak’at too. JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

Opinion

A4 Page 1 of PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY previous issue.

Vol. I, No. 07 | July 31-August 6, 2020 (Dhu’l-Hijjah 10-16, 1441)

Prophet Mohammad (saw) Farewell Sermons.

Eid Mubarak! Happy Eid’l Adha!

Maranaos on the brink of desperation on Duterte’s 5th SONA PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY INTERIM BOARD OF EDITORS: DEAN MASIDING NOOR YAHYA Interim Chairman and Publisher AMBASSADOR MACABANGKIT LANTO COMMISSIONER NASSER A. MAROHOMSALIC JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL, J.D. BENJ BANGAHAN, M.D. ABDUL HANNAN TAGO, PHD. JOHNNY R. LEE, PHD ALI G. MACABALANG INTERIM STAFF: MASIDING NOOR YAHYA Acting Editor-In-Chief JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL Acting Managing Editor & Metro Manila News Bureau Chief ALI G. MACABALANG Acting News Editor & Chief of Correspondents KIM BAGUNDANG Acting Bangsamoro Region Bureau Chief ROCAYA SUMNDAD OTICAL Acting Lanao Provinces Bureau Chief MARK EDRIEL “TWISTER” ORTIL Cartoonist FATIMA ORTIL-JANNARAL Acting Advertising Sales Director SAID AHMAD BASHER Religious Affairs Adviser FILEMON G. ROMERO In Charge of Environment and Conservation JOHNNY R. LEE In Charge of Tourism & Photography COLUMNISTS: HOMOBONO A. ADAZA BENJ BANGAHAN JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL MACABANGKIT B. LANTO ALI G. MACABALANG MEHOL K. SADAIN ABDUL HANNAN M. TAGO DISCLAIMER: Opinion of the writers expressed herein is not necessarily the opinion of Philippine Muslim Today.

TEMPORARY BUSINESS OFFICES: Lot1, Blk1, Vizcarra Compound, Molino 3, Bacoor City 4102 Cavite Province Phone: 09152184388| 09778430218 Email: muslimtoday2020@gmail.com Http://www.philmuslimtoday.wordpress.com

f those who have been too disappointed on the State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Rodrigo Duterte is the Maranao people, particularly the displaced and victims of the tragic 2017 Marawi Siege whose devastated homes and properties have yet to be rebuilt and who are even fearful if they can really return to their homes.

the following statement:.

Editorial

He proposed to launch a more vigorous Balik-Probinsya program and the creation of new economic zones. Well how about a Balik-Marawi program to deter deaths and disease in the refugee camps and to stem the rise of violent extremists that have tapped into local discontent?

In his SONA, the President did not mention anything about the Marawi rehabilitation. You cannot therefore blame the displaced Maranaos for being fearful whether they can really return to their homes. Many of them who have suffered due to the siege are now suffering the more amidst the pandemic Covid-19. In a statement, the Marawi Reconstruction Conflict Watch (MRCW), an independent multistakeholder dialogue group that harnesses skills and professions to help in the Marawi reconstruction process and channels wider public attention and participation in its monitoring, has aptly revealed the feelings of those people who have been waiting to return to normal life after the siege. It best describes the questions they badly need to ask and to be answered with urgency. MRCW whose members are from Marawi and most of them Maranaos with no one person or leader to speak on their behalf, and each step they take is a collective one, has issued

The President elucidated plans for national recovery and resilience that he wants to pursue for all Filipinos. But what about the Maranao who have been waiting for three fruitless years—way before the pandemic and its consequent economic crisis?

He made a plea to Congress to prioritize the recovery of the economy through financial subsidies, easier loans, and rental reforms. Well what about the promised yet much delayed compensation to stimulate the economy in an area ravaged by war and destitution. When will you direct Congress to prioritize the Marawi Compensation Bill? We are one with all Filipinos in desiring a quicker release from the health and economic crisis we all face. But how can we trust your word or believe your promises when you have not honoured your promises to us?

Opinion

Vol. I, No. 07 | July 31-August 6, 2020 (Dhu’l-Hijjah 10-16, 1441)

Ijtihad

Remembering Ibrahim and Ishma’il

uslims celebrate the Feast of the Sacrifice which translates in Arabic as Eid ul-Adha and falls on July 31 this year. The Philippines has honored it as a national holiday, but while our non-Muslim brethren share in the respite the holiday offers, they may not completely understand its origin and significance. For instance, they (as well as some Muslims to a certain extent) are unaware that the sacrifice commemorated in Eid ul Adha predates the Prophethood of Nabi Muhammad (SAW) and originates from the patriarch Abraham or Nabi Ibrahim (RA) to the Muslims. The Eid commemorates the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son

(Ishma’il to the Muslims and Isaac to the Christians) on the divine order of God. This is the well-known part of the story of Abraham’s faith. What is less known is the consent of Ishma’ilto the sacrifice. The Qur’an narrates: “When he (Ishma’il) had become old enough to partake of his father’s (Ibrahim) endeavors, Abraham said, ‘O my son! I saw in a dream that I am to sacrifice you. So consider, what do you see?’ (The son) replied: ‘O my father! Do as you are commanded. You will find me, God willing, among those who are patient.’ So, when they had both submitted (to Allah) and he has laid him prostrate

Batanes to Tawi-Tawi WITH JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

TOP using the word "moro-moro" was an admonish said by my late Political Law professor, Atty. Alan Paguia to my nonMuslim classmates in our subject at the College of Law at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) in Intramuros, Manila. We were then having a class discussion when one of my classmates kept on saying "moro-moro." Upon seeing me as the only Muslim law student in his class which in all likelihood a blue-blood Moro, Atty. Paguia asked me how do I feel every time I heard someone using the word "moro-moro." I replied "simply I felt bad" about it. But considering there is no specific law or ordinance that prohibits people from using the word "moro-moro" I could not do anything about it. Hence, Atty. Paguia took the cudgel in my behalf and said, "from now on with due respect to your only Muslim classmate here and for the rest of our Moro brothers, let us STOP using the word "moro-moro." I have chosen this "moromoro" topic for my weekly Column Batanes To TawiTawi on this 7th Digital Edition of Philippine Muslim Today after I heard the replay on the NewsTV of GMA7 of

the 17th Congress Committee Hearing of the Committee on Justice where the Congressmen members of the said committee were grilling a high profile inmate of National Bilibid Prison (NBP) Jaybee Sebastian, who admitted he was imprisoned since 2009 for kidnapping and carjacking. But later on he became as among the big time Filipino drug lords together with Chinese drug lords who continue to engage in the selling of illegal drugs like Shabu although under incarceration inside the national penitentiary. Asked how did he make the transaction he said it was done by cellphone that surreptitiously brought inside by his visitors with the connivance of jail guards that are supposedly should be strict enough in guarding the jail gate for the entry of prohibited items like cellphone. Jaybee was one of the witnesses who testified that he himself gave P10 million drug money to then DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima for her campaign kitty when she ran as a Senator and won. But she is now languishing in jail at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City. However, Jaybee Sebastian died just a few days ago which according to the NBP

on his forehead (for sacrifice), We called out to him, ‘O Abraham! Thou hast already fulfilled the dream.’ Thus, indeed do We reward those who do right. For this was clear trial --- and We ransomed him with a momentous sacrifice.” [The Noble Qur’an, Surah II, Verses 102107] The consent of Ishma’il to the sacrifice is unique to Islam, for in the Bible, the son (to be sacrificed, which the Bible names as Isaac) did not know of his father’s plan to sacrifice him. In Genesis 22:7-8, at the time of the sacrifice, the son asked his father, “The fire and wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”Abraham kept the

WITH MEHOL K. SADAIN order from his son and replied, “God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son,” then proceeded to tie up his son, and was about slay him when an Angel appeared and stopped the sacrifice. The eid sacrifice in Islam, therefore, highlights the strong, unswerving faith in, and total submission to God, shown by Abraham and his son; thereby demonstrating the ideal bond that should unite the father to his son, and vice versa. This is the bond of Faith and Obedience, result-

ing in Total Submission to the One God. Finally, we should realize that the Feast of the Sacrifice is not just about Islam as taught by Prophet Muhammad (SAW); it is about man’s total submission to One Supreme Being, transcending theological divides and embodying do ctrinal prescriptions. Eid ulAdha manifests as a sacrifice, but it is really about Trust and Submission to God. Eid ul-Adha al-Mubarak to all. PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY

STOP using the word "moro-moro" doctor was due to Covid-19 and was immediately cremated at the Dasmarinas crematorium in Cavite. The immediate cremation was protested by Jaybee's wife since she did not see anymore the cadaver and what only left were the ashes of her husband kept in an urn. Somehow, this is just the other side of the story and the said Committee on Justice is indirectly had given injustice to us Moros. One of the lady solons who did the interpellation on Jaybee Sebastian kept on saying "moro-moro" for several times. This has reminded me of my Political Law professor Atty. Paguia who admonished my classmates to refrain from using the word "moro-moro" and not to further "bastardized" the word Moro. Moro-moro is a play that became popular in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period where the Moros were portrayed as perpetual villains who always lost to Christians in the end. It depicts battles, in a rather comedic way, between Christians and Moros but Muslims nowadays in the Philippines prefer to be called as such after the revolutionary movements used Moro as the first word of the name of their revolutionary group. Muslim rebel groups in the Philippines call themselves as either the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) of Chairman Nur Misuari or the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chaired by the late

Salamat Hashim and succeeded by Al Hajj Murad Ebrahim. Nowadays, moro-moro is a term used to mean a situation being played from a given script. But reference to any moro-moro is by no means intended to belittle us among Muslims. Administration critics have decried alleged attempts by the police and the military to do a moro-moro or stagemanaged justification for the imposition of martial law in Maguindanao a few years ago after the Maguindanao massacre. Thus, according to Wikipedia, the collective Moro people or Bangsamoro people refers to the Islamized ethnolinguistic groups of Mindanao, Sulu, and Palawan. Trivia: One of the highlights of the 5th State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Rodrigo R. Duterte held at the Batasang Pambansa on the 27th of July 2020 was when he made mentioned about the poor telecommunications in the country.

In particular he emphasized on the lousy services of the two telcos the Globe Telecom and Smart Communications. He warned the two cellphone companies that they should improve their services by December. Though the President was serious in his warning still he cracked a joke that Globe and Smart should have a strong signal by the month of December 2020 as he will be calling Jesus Christ in Betlehem. Otherwise he emphasized that the government will take over the telecommunications without the presence of Globe and Smart anymore. But he did not categorically say if the two companies would suffer like the fate of ABS-CBN that the franchise to operate was not renewed. Nevertheless another highlight of his SONA was when he called on the Filipino people to help each other and said, "this is the time for all of us to help one another in this time of Pandemic." PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY

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Opinion

Diliman Way WITH HOMOBONO A. ADAZA

“

No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.” – Section 4, Article III of the Constitution.”

have to stop doing something equally important when I read in a national daily the news with this heading, “DON’T ALLOW SONA RALLIES, DILG TELLS LOCAL GOV’TS." The person who gave the advisory is the Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), citing as his authority Resolution No. 57 of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) which is mandated to manage and control the spread of Coronavirus. IATF, like the Secretary of DILG, has no right to prohibit rallies and demonstrations, even during the SONA. Did these people who issued these orders read Section 4, Article III of the Constitution which is written in plain and simple English? Or do they need an interpreter, to interpret this simple English into their local language as they cannot understand English? Constitution over statutes and executive orders: Provisions of the Constitution like Section 1, Article III of the Constitutions are not suspended even during emergences. They can be subject to regulations but not suspended. Like now, because of the

Coronavirus pandemic, regulations like wearing a mask and physical distancing are the two regulatory protocols which must be observed during protests, demonstrations, and in other exercises of freedom of speech or expression. But nobody can prohibit protests and demonstrations even during the State of the Nation Address (SONA) of the President. Is the presidential SONA so sacred it cannot be subject to protests and demonstrations? Is this country already a kingdom and the President is the King? If this is, then the President as King or his minion, the Duke of DILG on orders of the King, can issue that order. Today, I have not heard President Duterte declaring this country already a kingdom and he is King. Similarly, if this country is a dictatorship, then the dictator or his alter ego like the Secretary of the DILG can prohibit or outlaw protests and demonstrations. But President Duterte says he is not a dictator and this country is not a dictatorship, so the DILG Secretary must be misinformed when he issued the advisory. The DILG advisory is illegal and unconstitutional. Any

Era of tyrants, age of the people public officer or employee who obeys an illegal and unconstitutional advisory or order is liable for violation of our Constitution and criminal laws. Permits in rallies and demonstrations: The issuance of permits by local government is only ministerial, not discretionary. Anytime an application for a rally or demonstration is filed, the local government must issue immediately a permit. It cannot deny issuing a permit. Denial is not only unconstitutional, it is criminal. Why unconstitutional? It is as it violates Section 4, Article III of the Constitution. Similarly, it violates the due process clause of the Constitution which is provided in Section 1, Article III of the Constitution. The rationale behind the requirement for a permit is to make the local government concerned monitor the rallies and demonstrations so they can provide security for the demonstrators and protestors as well as citizens who maybe affected by the rallies and demonstrations. Also, to insure that demonstrations will be peaceful and our laws will be observed. Nothing more, nothing less. Liabilities: There are criminal and administrative liabilities for public officials and employees who issue orders or prohibit the issuance of permits for demonstrations and rallies during the SONA or at any other time. As mentioned earlier, they are in violation of provisions of the Constitution and our criminal and administrative laws. Specifically, the public

No talk means absence of care I watched attentively to the delivery of the 5th SONA of PRRD on Monday and I felt frustrated in a expectation that he would mention even a few lines about his administration’s current thrust for the reconstruction of the wartorn Marawi City and the recovery of its displaced residents, most of whom languish in different parts of the country. A single sentence about his policy on the state of Marawi would have made the difference as far as the seemingly reclusive leader-

ship of the Task Force Bangon marawi (TFBM) is concerned. For me, the absence of a sort of reminder about the state of Marawi implied lack of concern for humanity vis-àvis the plights of the Meranao bakwits. In all his public messages in the last two months, the President had underscored the need for his administration’s all-out measures to relieve the adversities of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of Filipinos. But he had not mentioned the need for

Vol. I, No. 07 | July 31-August 6, 2020 (Dhu’l-Hijjah 10-16, 1441)

restoring decent life among the people of Marawi, who are doubly burdened by war displacement and the global pandemic. I am also frustrated in my expectation for a response to a formal communication I sent to Palace Chief Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo requesting him to allot a segment of his informative “Counterpoint” online program. I sent his the communication almost a week ago but Sec. Panelo has yet to come up with an episode of his online pro-

officer who refuses to issue a permit or advises anyone not to issue a permit is liable under Section 3 (e) of Republic 3019, known as the AntiGraft and Corrupt Practices Act and Section 4 in relation to Section 5 of Republic Act No 6713, known as the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Government Officials and Employees. These are the enabling laws which lend teeth to Section 1, Article XI of the Constitution which states – “Public office is a public trust. Public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives.” Prohibiting or denying permits for demonstrations and rallies run counter to acting with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty and efficiency and it is not an act of patriotism and justice. It is betrayal of the Constitution, the country and our people. Prohibition or denial of permits to hold rallies or demonstrations during the SONA is criminal and the public officials who prohibit or deny permits to hold demonstrations and rallies during the SONA can be charged before the Ombudsman and subsequently tried before the Sandigan Bayan. Similarly, they can be administratively charged with grave misconduct. They should remember that even the unconstitutional AntiTerrorism Act allows protests, rallies and demonstrations. Servant of the people: The Secretary of DILG before issuing such an advi-

sory and local mayors before obeying the said order, like dumb driven cattle, should think and consult their lawyers who should know the fundamental provisions of the Constitution. They will not be in power forever. As President Duterte himself has consistently warned – “There is always a time for reckoning.” Where will they be when the time comes? As the smart street bystander usually say, “Baka pulutin sila sa kangkongan.” And that is not a desirable fate. They are behaving like masters and they are not. They are servants of the people as Section 1, Article XI of the Constitution simply states based on Section 1, Article II of the Constitution provides that – “The Philippines is a democratic and republican State. Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them.” It is clear. It is simple. Even a fool with a modicum of intelligence knows and understands that. Lesson: In a constitutional democracy, preserving the right to dissent or disagree is a categorical imperative. Without dissent, it is like staying in a graveyard. No matter how loud you shout, the graves are silent and there are no responses – agreement or disagreement. But who wants to live or stay there? You only have the silence of the grave. It is important to hear various views. In the words of the Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. of the American Supreme Court, “Persecution for the expression of opinions seems to me ADAZA | A7

Punchline ALI G. MACABALANG gram. I am still hoping that in his next program segment, Sec. Panelo would provide even a brief update on what the Palace has in store for the people of Marawi. I sympathize with critics about the absence of regular government updates on the TFBM operations. And I pity more the IDPs because they would have not been uprooted out of their homes if only

the armed forces had used surgical military operations. I could still not believe that trained government warriors would burn the entire city to neutralize a few terrorists. Why should one burn the entire house in the search of a few rats? Like other fellow Meranaos, I can only pray for Divine intervention for the moment. Hasbi-Allah!

Opinion

My twocents Rx WITH BENJ S. BANGAHAN, M.D., FPCP, FPCCP

ome people just notice themselves losing weight despite their appetite still being as good as it used to be, and without them being able to link any reason why, or even any possible factor that can lead to such an unexpected physiologic change.Their becoming rather perturbed is understandable enough, for even if some involuntary weight losses have been found to have no pathological or diseaserelated causes, some of them are indeed associated with serious pathologic processes. Because significant weight loss has not been exactly agreed upon, in this regard, it is defined as a loss of five percent of the usual body

weight in a span of about six months. In order to be more defining, some criteria have been set and at least two of them must be met: (1) the patient is able to quantify his weight loss, (2) the patient manifests clear physical evidences of the weight loss, (3) a relative is able to verify the weight loss. This particular complaint has been clinically studied purposely to discover and document any disease entities that are possibly related to it and could be playing some roles in the development of the symptom. In one study using hospitalized patients, indeed it was found that organic diseases were predominantly responsible for the symptom, and mentioned among the diseases are diabetes mellitus and some can-

ADAZA | from page A6

Era of tyrants, age of the people perfectly logical. If you have no doubt of your premises or your power and want a certain result with all your heart you naturally express your wishes in law and sweep away all opposition. But when men have realized that time has upset many fighting faiths, they may come to believe even more than they believe the very foundations of their own conduct that the ultimate good desired is better reached by free trade in ideas... "The best test of truth is the power of the thought to get itself accepted in the competition of the market, and that truth is the only ground upon which their wishes safely can be carried out." This is the dissenting opinion of Justice Holmes in the case of Abrams vs. US. Today, this is the prevailing majority view in deciding cases before that Court. Taking a lesson from this experience is that today’s dissent may just become tomorrows’s majority view. Ours is an era of tyranny but it also the beginning of the age of the people. From the United States of America to Great Britain, Paris to Hong Kong, Brazil to Bolivia, the world is shaken by demonstrations by the people

on fundamental issues – from Black Lives Matter to freedom and justice as a way of life. This age is also emerging in the Philippines of demonstrations in campuses to the streets of our cities on the issue of freedom of speech, of expression and of the press on the denial of the ABS-CBN franchise and against the repressive, oppressive and unconstitutional Anti-Terrorism Act. It is reminiscent of the terminal days of the Marcos martial law proving that no matter how dark are the clouds, there are always silver linings. For every fanatical fool of tyrants, there are always a hundred heroes who are willing to fight for justice and freedom. The age of freedom and justice is dawning as summed up by Kalidasa in these lines – “For yesterday is but a dream and tomorrow a vision. But today well-lived, makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope.

Vol. I, No. 07 | July 31-August 6, 2020 (Dhu’l-Hijjah 10-16, 1441)

Unintended loss of weight cerous process like one that involves the breast; involvement of the thyroid has also been mentioned, especially in a hyperactive state. In another study using only nonhospitalized patients, what was observed was a considerable number of nonphysical causes, most especially mental illnesses. It is here where a detailed psychological questioning becomes necessary. In all the studies, however, there was a common finding — that is, in some cases no causes could be associated with the loss of weight. While this can be, at first look, considered an alleviating finding, in that therefore appeasing to the patients since this does not jolt them physically, clinically and financially, it is nonetheless still a reason for the doctors to do extra efforts to make further searches for the cause – they have to be more meticulous in their clinical techniques and be more apt in using the more accurate laboratory ancillary ex-

aminations, in order to be able to discover more. For one thing, such patients are followed up regularly about every one or two months for any changes of the weight. Unintended weight loss, as a part of being cautious and preventive, is a clinical sign that must be given attention, for some of its organic causes, especially ones that are known to develop morbid stages, can have their complications obviated when medically or surgically managed at early stage. ****** Today, Friday, July 31, 2020, is an official holiday nationally, in observance of the Islamic Feast of Sacrifice, or, IYD AL ADHA, the annual performance of one of the Five Pillars of Islam. It is unfortunate that, because of the calamity brought about by the Corona Virus, only the people who are presently residents in Arabia are permitted to perform the obligation. Nonetheless, I would like to

Look well, therefore, to this day, such is the salutation to the dawn.” As the day unfolds, people are remembered for their noble deeds, tyrants are remembered for their evil words and actions. (Beginning this issue, Atty. Homobono “Bono” A. Adaza will be a Contributing Columnist of Philippine Muslim Today with his column “DILIMAN WAY WITH HOMOBONO A. ADAZA.” Atty. Adaza was former Governor of Misamis Oriental, Member of Parliament in the Interim Batasang Pambansa (IBP), and former Commissioner of Bureau of Immigration and Deportation (BID). The present Column was written on the eve of the 5th SONA of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in a Joint Session of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines at the Batasang Pambansa. Disclaimer: Views and Opinion in this column belong to the author and are not in any way the official position of the Editorial Board of Philippine Muslim Today. Editor)

Piñol greets Muslims on Eid al-Adha feast

Philippine Muslim Today? Email: muslimtoday2020@gmail.com https://philmuslimtoday.wordpress.com Phone: 09152184388 (Administration) 09778430218 (Editorial)

extend my personal prayer for the entire Islamic Ummah: MAY THE ALMIGHTY ALLĀH, THE BENEFICENT, THE MERCIFUL GOD, SHOWER HIS BLESSINGS UPON US HIS UMMAH, ABROGATE OUR PAINS, ERASE OUR DISTRESS, MAKE THOSE IN THEIR SIMPLE HOMES LIVE IN QUIET COMFORT SANS ANXIETY THAT THEY AND THEIR HOMES COULD BE DESTROYED BY THOSE WITH EVIL HEARTS, HELP THOSE WHOSE ABODES HAVE BEEN RANSACKED FIND BEDS TO SLEEP IN, STRENGTHEN THE WEAK TO BETTER STAND AGAINST THE STRONG, AND FOREVER LIVE WITH THE CONVICTION THAT YOU ALONE ALLĀH AWJ IS THE BE-ALL AND END-ALL OF EXISTENCE, AND WITH THAT THOUGHT ALONE, WE LIVE, TRAVEL AND END IN COMPLETE PERSONAL CONTENTMENT…. AMIYN.

MinDA Chairman Manny Piñol in a huddle with officials of Taraka, Lanao del Sur led by Mayor Nashida G. Sumagayan. (AGM)

AVAO CITY – The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), through its incumbent chairman, greets the Muslim world on the celebration this Friday of Eid al-Adha, wishing celebrants the best amid the global COVID-19 pandemic. “The Mindanao Development Authority joins the Muslim world in the celebration of Eid’l Adha,” MinDA Chair Manny Piñol said in a statement furnished with the Philippine Muslim Today. “Amidst the crisis brought about by the global pandemic, let us remain

strong in faith, with hope and resilience,” Piñol said. He added: “Also called as the ‘Feast of Sacrifice,’ Eid al-Adha, is the second and considered holier of two Islamic holidays celebrated worldwide each year.” He said the event “honors the willingness of (Prophet) Ibrahim to sacrifice his son, Ismael, as an act of obedience to God’s command.” “As you celebrate the Feast, remain safe, healthy and optimistic. Eid Mubarak,” Piñol prodded celebrants. ALI G. MACABALANG

News

BARMM starts sending home 405 BaSulTa-bound LSIs

Vol. I, No. 07 | July 31-August 6, 2020 (Dhu’l-Hijjah 10-16, 1441)

Eid’l Adha Message 31 July 2020 | 10 Dhul Hijjah 1441H

By ALI G. MACABALANG Chief of Correspondents

OTABATO CITY---The Bangsamoro autonomous government has started sending home the 405 locally stranded individuals (LSIs) bound found for Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi (BASULTA), dispatching 50 of them on Wednesday through the Polloc Port in Parang, Maguindanao.

ssalamu Alaykum Wa Rahmahtullahi Taala Wa Barakatuh

The Bangsamoro Government joins the entire Muslim Ummah in celebrating this year's Eidul Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice. LSIs RETURNING HOME: Locally Stranded Individuals (LSIs) returning home to Basilan are about to board the Philippine Navy boat after their 14-day isolation quarantine at the Cotabato Sanitarium in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao. They are tested Negative of Covid-19 virus. (Bangsamoro Photo) The 50 LSIs constituted the first batch in scheduled send-offs that will follow soon, according to the BARMM’s Bureau of Public Information (BPI). All members of the first batch were Basilan residents, tested negative in COVID-19, completed 14-day quarantine at a BARMM facility in Maguindanao’s Sultan Kudarat town, and were ferried by a Naval Boat, the BPI said. The remaining 355 BASULTA-bound bound LSIs who completed their 14 day quarantine period, and after following health protocols, will be sent off at the soonest possible time,” the BPI said. The 405 LSIs were originally shuttled by a BARMMchartered vessel from Manila purposely for the island provinces, the passenger boat rerouted to Cagayan de Oro City on July 7 for reasons the regional government was still trying to unearth. The BPI said the BARMM government had hired 17 buses to take them to Zamboanga City, supposedly the nearest port of entry to the island provinces. “However due to circumstances beyond the control of the Bangsamoro government, the buses had to be rerouted to Sultan Kudarat, Maguinda-

nao (where all the LSIs eventually underwent the 14-day quarantine),” the BPI said. Earlier, regional authorities said 117 of the 405 LSIs tested positive of the virus in what was believed to be a bid spike in COVID-19 cases in BARMM records. In its statement, the BPI did not mention any progress in the quarantine of those 117 LSIs with positive results. With its announced scheduling in succeeding batches of the remaining 355, the information outfit implied a possible recovery among all the transients. But Minister Sinarimbo in a Messenger statement for the Philippine Muslim Today said: “Those who tested positive have completed their quarantine period and did not show symptoms. Under the protocol they are considered to have recovered.” In their quarantine facilities, the BSULTA-bound LSIs were assigned regular health and relief services, the BPI said. Workers of the health and social welfare ministries provided the transients 24/7 attention, including also psychosocial interventions, the information agency aid. Wednesday’s send-off ceremony was led by Interior and Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo, represent-

ing Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim. "It's important that we keep the spirit of looking after the welfare of each one," Sinarimbo was quoted as saying in a message stressing the commitmnt of the BARMM government to “help its constituents especially in times of crisis.” Meanwhile, the BPI said Social Welfare Minister Raissa Jajurie in coordination with the BARMM-Rapid Emergency Action on Disaster Incidence provided cash assistance worth of P5,000 to each of the individuals, hygiene kits, and relief goods including 25 kilos of rice. Wednesday's ceremony was also attended by MOHRESU head Dr. Amirel Usman, Parang, Maguindanao Vice Mayor Adnan Biruar, Representative of PNP PROBAR PCOL Jaime Mojica Jr., Sultan Kudarat LGUs, and members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the BPI said. AGM

Covid-19 is real. Wear facemask.

Being one of the two biggest festivities in Islam, Eidul Adha reminds us of the story of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and his complete willingness to offer even the life of his beloved son Ismael (AS) in obedience to Allah's divine command. With no greater level of sacrifice that can match this act, Prophet Ibrahim’s faith and trust in the Almighty’s divine plan must always be an aspiration, at the very least, to most of us especially during these trying times. I pray that the celebration of Eidul Adha this year would bring our families and communities closer together. If there is one thing that we learned all throughout the ongoing global pandemic, it is the fact that we are bound to stick together even if we are physically distant with one another. Just like those who were here before us, we have to remain faithful in Allah's plan and trust in His will while continuously praying that better days await us. After all, it is through sab'r or patience that we can find the best among us and it is also with the same virtue that our elders were able to wait for decades before we were able to establish the Bangsamoro Government. In a similar vein, I ask our people to remain faithful and obedient to the Bangsamoro Government, to the leadership of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and to all those reposed with authorities, especially in the commandment of good (ma’ruf) and prohibition of evil (munkar). May the Almighty Allah bless you and your family! Eidul Adha Al-Mubarak! Wa kullu aamin wa antum bikhayr! (SGD) AHOD ‘AL HAJ MURAD” B. EBRAHIM Chief Minister, BARMM & Chairman, MILF

News

Vol. I, No. 07 | July 31-August 6, 2020 (Dhu’l-Hijjah 10-16, 1441)

BARMM execs revisit feats on SONA Day as Marawi IDPs hold SOMBAK By ALI G. MACABALANG Chief of Correspondents

OTABATO CITY – On Monday’s delivery of President Duterte’s fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA), Regional Chief Minister Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim and Bangsamoro Transition Authority’s (BTA) Parliament Speaker Ali Pangalian Balindong revisited the significant strides of the regional government in its first year of operations.

SONA 2020. Photo on the conduct of the SONA 2020 live streamed with the reports of the two top regional officials. (Supplied Photo) Inside sources said officials of the Bangsamoro government were expecting that the President would mention in his SONA even a few lines about the state of government efforts for the reconstruction and recovery of war -torn Marawi City, a component of the autonomous region. But the expectation did not happen, prompting Maranao personalities speaking for the displaced Marawi residents to hold a State of Marawi Bakwit (SOMBAK) on Wednesday. The IDPs, represented by leaders of multi-sector organizations of Marawi including Drieza Lininding, Samira Gutoc and Tirmizy Abdullah, presented a response, a challenge, and an appeal in to the Duterte administration vis-à-vis the snail-paced rebuilding of Marawi and the difficulties among IDPs still scattered outside the wartorn city. “Three years after the Marawi siege, the lives of Marawi’s people remain in limbo. About 17,000 remain in temporary shelters, while 80,000 are displaced in dif-

ferent parts of the country, staying with relatives and host families. COVID-19 has further exposed the vulnerabilities of Marawi’s residents and IDPs,” the SOMBAK organizers said in a post. They said the SOMBAK 2020 would tackled issues about the expiration of tenure; the status and sentiments of IDPs; economic aspects of the rehabilitation process; and the added burdens and dangers brought by COVID. On SONA day, Chief Minister Ebrahim and Speaker Balindong were interviewed by workers of the Bureau of Pubic Information in live stream co-arranged by the Radio Television Malacañang (RTVM). Ebrahim said the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will remain as one of President Duterte’s significant legacy. Since the inauguration of the BARMM in March 2019, it has established its call for “moral governance” and has created programs like the Project Tulong Alay sa Bangsamorong Nangangailangan (TABANG), Ayudang Medikal

Mula sa Bangsamoro (AMBAG) Program, and Bangsamoro Job Portal, among others, for the benefit of its constituents, he said. “We pray that the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region will continue to succeed for the benefit of the people,” he added. Balindong, on the one hand, noted the importance of the BOL for the Bangsamoro people and that the recognition of the Bangsamoro people’s aspirations was unprecedented. The BTA parliament, through its Committee on Rule, currently deliberates on the just-filed regional Administrative Code, Local Government Code, and the Civil Service Code. Balindong said the parliament has already enacted laws that are “consistent with the national laws,” Balindong noted.“There are other legislations that we’ve lined up and hopefully, this will be done within the year, including the six priority legislations stated in the Bangsamoro Organic Law.” PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY

Read PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY, your reliable source of news and information.

Bangsamoro Gov’t builds four more 100-bed isolation center

OTABATO CITY: Four additional 100-bed Covid-19 isolation facilities are now being constructed by the Bangsamoro Government in the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi. Lawyer Naguib Sinarimbo, minister of the Ministry of Interior and Local Government (MILG) said this is to accommodate the increasing number of Locally Stranded Individuals (LSIs) and Returning Overseas Filipino Workers (ROFs) in the region, as well as the Filipino returnees from Sabah. Minister Sinarimbo, Social Services Minister Raisa Jajurie, and Public Works Minister Archt. Eduard Guerra led the groundbreaking ceremonies of the said facilities in the four provinces from July 20 -23. In his 8th Chief Minister’s Hour, BARMM Chief MInister Ahod ‘Al Haj Murad’ Ebrahim said the significant increase of Covidconfirmed cases in the region can be associated with the arrival of ROFs and LSIs.

through the BARMM’s Ministry of Public Works. Chief Minister Ebrahim emphasized that “despite the challenges brought by the sudden increase of confirmed cases associated with the LSIs and ROFs, the Bangsamoro Government remains committed in bringing these people home.” “We shall continue to cater their immediate needs. After all, they are our people. And in this time of crisis, our decision should mainly focus on public health, continuity of government service, and humanitarian considerations, all in the name of our call for moral governance,” he added. He also stressed that proper and prior coordination from all levels of governance – between national government, the BARMM and its LGUs – must be in place in handling the returnees. “This is to avoid another incident like that of the BaSulTa (Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi) bound LSIs who were brought to Cagayan

“As of July 16, 2020, we have already facilitated a total of 15,184 ROFs, LSIs, and returnees from Sabah. Generally speaking, we still have enough isolation facilities in the region but in some critical areas, we are already reaching the maximum capacity,” Ebrahim said. “In view of this and as I have mentioned before, we will build additional isolation facilities similar to the one we built in Cotabato Sanitarium Hospital,” he added. The 100-bed capacity isolation facility in Cotabato Sanitarium, which was launched on May 28, was completed in just 40 days

De Oro on July 7, 2020 and we were only informed of their arrival after they were disembarked in CDO,” Ebrahim said. Ebrahim assured that the Bangsamoro Government is taking care of the needs of the BaSulta bound LSIs, and that proper handling and precautionary measure are in place to ensure that the spread of the virus is contained. As of July 23, BARMM has reported a total of 416 confirmed cases, with 8 deaths, 128 recoveries, and 280 active cases. Out of the 416 cases, 331 are LSIs and 28 are ROFs. JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL/PMT

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Vol. I, No. 07 | July 31-August 6, 2020 (Dhu’l-Hijjah 10-16, 1441)

Islamic Finance Questions and Answers

Can You Catch Covid-19 Twice?

(May Allah bestow on Ethica Institute more wisdom and knowledge)

Most scientists say patients gain some immunity to the virus after the first infection.

By AMANODING D. ESMAIL, CPA, MPA President, Philippine Association of Islamic Accountants

First Series

ZAKAT

Photo credit to Jakarta Post.

akat – What is zakat? “And perform the prayer, and pay the alms; whatever good you shall forward to your souls’ account, you shall find it with God; assuredly God sees the things you do.” (2:110) Zakat is an Islamic tax paid by qualifying Muslims to deserving recipients, and a means to purify one’s wealth. It is not charity. Rather, it is a portion of one’s property that needy Muslim members of society already own by virtue of it having been in one’s possession for one lunar year.Zakat therefore, is distributed, not donated. Unlike charity (sadaqah), which is recommended to give, zakat is obligatory, whose nonpayment or late payment is an enormity. Obligation Of Zakat – Who is obliged to pay zakat? Zakat is obligatorily due on every sane, adult Muslim

male and female. Zakat is due on those possessing the minimum nisab and are free of debt obligations; financial obligations (where the net worth of the individual is below the nisab amount because he owes more than he is worth) exempt one from paying zakat only if the individual exhausts all reasonable means to repay these debts using other forms of surplus wealth (i.e. wealth that exceeds what is normal considered a requirement for living). Exceptions To Zakat On Estate Of Deceased – When is zakat not paid on the deceased’s estate? Unpaid zakat is not taken from the estate of the deceased unless a bequest specifies that zakat should be paid posthumously, in which case zakat is paid on onethird of the estate, regardless of whether this amount covers the zakat obligation or

not; it is permissible, though not obligatory, for the inheritors of the remaining twothirds of the estate to fulfill the balance of the zakat obligation from their own portion. Zakat-Deduction On Taxable Income Is it permissible to deduct zakat from one’s taxable income when preparing a tax filing? Zakat-Deduction On Taxable Income. – Is it permissible to deduct zakat from one’s taxable income when preparing a tax filing? It is permissible to deduct zakat from one’s taxable income as one would a charitable donation when preparing a tax filing. Money Changers’ Zakat – Is zakat payable on money changers’ capital exchanged within one lunar year? There is no zakat on money changers’ capital exchanged within one lunar year. (To be continued)

Malaysia ex-PM Najib found guilty of seven charges in first 1MDB trial KUALALUMPUR — Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was on Tuesday found guilty of all seven charges in the first of five trials he faces over a multibillion-dollar graft scandal at 1 Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a state fund he founded. A Malaysian judge said Najib’s defense team had failed to raise reasonable

By PREETIKA RAMA

Malaysia former prime minister Najib Razak. MALAYSIA | A12

onths into the pandemic, the scientific community’s understanding of Covid-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus, is rapidly evolving. New reports of patients testing positive, or appearing to suffer symptoms months after initial diagnosis, continues to generate concern that people who have had Covid-19 are getting infected anew. Here is the latest on what we know, and don’t know, about the possibility of becoming sick with the virus more than once. I recently recovered from Covid-19. Does that mean I can’t get it again? Most scientists say that people who have had Covid-19 gain some immunity to the virus that causes it. What they don’t know is whether that protection lasts a few months, a few years or a lifetime. What factors affect immunity? The immune system wards off infections by producing antibodies that fight invaders. A range of hereditary and environmental factors, including diet and sleep patterns, typically affect the strength and longevity of those defenses. Immunity also depends on the pathogen. For example, infection by the virus that causes measles confers lifelong immunity. Others, like the influenza virus, can mutate so rapidly that protective antibodies might not recognize them during a reinfection. The novel coronavirus mutates more slowly than the influenza virus. That gives researchers hope that any natural immunity, or vaccine, would offer more lasting protection. Even if someone gets sick again, researchers believe a second infection might be milder than the first. How soon would my body produce antibodies to fight the novel coronavirus after an initial infection? The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says antibodies develop within one to three weeks after infection. A study involving 34 hospitalized cases in China found that two patients, both in their 80s, produced antibodies within three days of symptom onset. The rest produced them two weeks after symptoms first surfaced. The findings were vetted by other experts and published in an academic journal in March. Is there any good news? A group of Chinese researchers reported this month that they had infected six rhesus macaques, allowed them to recover and then reinfected four of them 28 days after the first infection. None became sick again, showing their immune system shielded them from a second infection. The research, published in Science, says, however, that more studies are needed to understand whether the immune system can shield individuals from reinfection over longer periods of time. Then why are some people testing positive again? Roughly 450 South Koreans tested positive for the virus again after meeting the criteria for recovery and being discharged from isolation. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention re-tested more than half of those people and found no evidence of the live virus circulating. Peer-reviewed research studies have shown that viral fragments can circulate even after an individual is symptomfree. That doesn’t mean that people are still sick or infectious. How do I know I’ve fully recovered? Clinicians have mixed views on what constitutes recovery because long-term data aren’t yet available. Guidelines vary across the globe. For example, the CDC says that infected individuals are considered recovered if they test negative for the novel coronavirus twice, with tests approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration taken at least 24 hours apart. Or, individuals must be fever-free for three consecutive days and show an improvement in their other symptoms, including reduced coughing and shortness of breath. At least 10 days should have passed since their symptoms first surfaced. Some survivors testing negative for the virus say that certain symptoms, such as a loss of taste and smell, can linger for months after other symptoms are gone. PMT

Feature News

Vol. I, No. 07 | July 31-August 6, 2020 (Dhu’l-Hijjah 10-16, 1441)

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BARMM can lift ban on mature coconut export - MinDA

Kalang: A hidden Fisher’s Paradise C in Tandubas, Tawi-Tawi By JOHNNY R. LEE, Ph.D.

Kalang village of Tandubas. (JRL)

here is a strip of sandy fishing village in the Municipality of Tandubas that is virtually unexplored by outsiders but is considered as a huge supplier of marine products in the area. Consists only of less than a hundred households nested in a coral rocks foundation, this little village (a sitio) produces unlimited bounties of the seas ranging from exotic marine stuffs like sea cucumber, octopuses, sea urchins, squids, commercial seashells and many more. Species of fishes of all kinds can be had there. Commercial seaweed are farmed just within the vicinity. These rich resources could be attributed to its wide tidal flats that extent up to 10 square kilometers. With only 700 meters in length and 10 meters width of mixed sand and dead coral fingers its potential as a ‘must visit’ little village is enormous especially for adventurers, photographers and tourists who chose to be out from the hustles and buzzers of urban life. The ambiance of the place is spectacular to the eye of a photographer because it offers both sunset and sunrise sceneries. Sunset at Kalang. (JRL) The place is completely shut off from modernity although there are a number of residents who are connected to satellite television and cell telephone getting their signals from main island Municipality of Tandubas. Electricity is sourced from private handy generators from those few who can only afford. Despite its proximity to Tandubas the fishermen in the village are mostly Badjaos and Sama from far off Laminusa of Siasi, Sulu. PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY

Badjao kids playing in Kalang sands. (JRL)

OTABATO CITY – Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Secretary Emmanuel Piñol is asking the President to lift the Marcosera ban on the export of mature coconuts and issue a special permit in Mindanao, even as he believed that the Bangsamoro government can lift the ban on the basis of its autonomous power. “We are re-submitting our recommendation to the President, noting that if we want to restart the economy, we can direct focus on our coconut farmers who are actually among the sectors affected by the pandemic," Piñol said in a recent statement. He added that "since there is a standing order for the green and brown and young coconuts outside of the country, let’s work on that as we appeal that Mindanao be given special permit." He said the 1985 Presidential Decree (PD) No. 1106 should be lifted especially that the coconut farmers were greatly affected of the current COVID-19 pandemic. In August 2019, after assuming the MinDA leadership, Piñol mentioned having asked Executive Secretary Medialdea for the lifting of the Marcos-era decree. He said unless the Marcos decree is lifted, coconut farmers in the country – who had been reeling from the effects of low copra prices due to the influx of other alternative cooking oils – would not be able to take advantage of mature coconut

market. He told reporters that in the United States, a piece of matured coconut commands a price of at least one dollar or 57 pesos. Piñol believed that lifting or repealing the Marcos decree would mostly benefit coconut farmers in Mindanao as well as the people of the Bangsamoro region. “This is what to look at when prioritizing our programs. It will have an immediate effect where people can directly benefit and would restart the economy. My point is, if we take an immediate action on this, there will be an immediate effect. If our coconut farmers can export, they will really earn unlike if they market it locally, the price is very low,” Piñol said. In November 2018, the Philippine Coconut Authority’s (PCA) Governing Board, chaired by Piñol who was then Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) approved a resolution that would request the interagency committee on Executive Order 1016, s. 1985 to lift the ban on mature coconut exports. EO 1016 mandated the creation of an interagency committee which will annually update the list of prohibited products for export being implemented by the Bureau of Customs (BOC). The EO stipulates that matured coconuts and coconut seedlings are some of the products that are not allowed for export. ALI G. MACABALANG

Growing seed for daily food table during Pandemic

ARAWI CITY — Last June 2020, the Office of MP Maisara held the first ever backyard gardening photography contest in Lanao del Sur. “Growing Seed of Hope” is an opportunity for Bangsamoro individuals to showcase their backyard gardening skills through online photography contest. The champion award went to Aminola Inidal of Marantao Lanao del Sur. Other awardees were Samina Macadato, Sahara Gania, Haspia Kasanodin, and Juffali Magarang. The awarding ceremony was held on July 15 at the Mindanao State University -Institute for Peace and Development in Mindanao (MSU-IPDM) Marawi City. “As the head of the family, this crisis taught me to invest in doing something that will not only benefit myself and

my family but also my community as well. Growing food gives me a sense of hope and something to look forward to every day. I'd like my children to appreciate hard work. I used to encourage my neighbors to grow their plants also,” says Inidal. Inidal gives his neighbors seed every time they need one. He believes that encouraging one another to grow plants will save their lives longer than just giving them vegetables. It also encourages different individuals to engage themselves in gardening and/ or farming. It is a great help and contribution to securing food in these trying times. The contest promotes backyard gardening in the province of Lanao del Sur and in BARMM as a whole, GROWING | A12

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Tourism

School of Living Tradition for Mat Weaving Proposed in Tandubas By FILEMON ROMERO, Ph.D.

NGUS MATATA, Tandubas: The Sama women of Tawi-Tawi and Sulu have always been recognized as excellent mat weavers as part of their cultural heritage. The art of mat weaving within the Sama Community has always been restricted to women. This includes the harvesting of the pandan leaves, shedding them into thin strips, boiling, including the pressing with a rounded log called the “entosan” to soften the pandan strips to make them soft and malleable, dying, and weaving then into the designs that are unique to the weavers’ imagination and craft since no two mats would be the same. This cultural heritage has to be preserved and as declared by the UNESCO one approach is by recording it in its tangible form and conserve this in an archive. The second approach is to preserve it in its living form so that it can be taught and transmitted to the next generations through the establishment of School of Living Tradition (SLT). This approach sees to it that indigenous knowledge (IK) is transmitted to the young generation and encourage culture specialists to continue practicing their cultural endowment while mentoring and training younger people thereby ensuring that the next generations can take place in the future.

Tandubas, Tawi-Tawi is well established. Her colorful mats with their complex geometric patterns showcased her precise sense of design, proportion and symmetry and sensitivity to color combination. She was able to mentor her children and other women in Ungus Matata and transmitted her skill as master weaver of flamboyant

Since mat weaving is one of the rich cultural heritage of the Bangsamoro Women, its preservation is mandated by Section 24 of RA 11054 also known as the Bangsamoro Organic Law that created the Bangsamoro Commission for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage. The municipality of Tandubas has gained the recognition as home of the Master Weaver and Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA) for 2005, National Living Treasure for Mat Weaving and National Artist in Mat Weaving Hadja Amina Appi. It is therefore proposed that the School of Living Tradition be re-established and revived in the municipality of Tandubas. Her recognition as the master mat weaver among the Sama indigenous community of Ungus Matata,

mats with distinctive and intricate geometric arrangements and sensitivity to color combinations. Her mats were sold as works of art and among the high profile personalities that were given with her mats as gifts include Ambassador Kristie Kenny of the Embassy of the United States to the Philippines who has framed her mat and placed it in her office in Washington. DC. Don Jaime Zobel de Ayala who said that her mat is an excellent work of art and that it is the best gift that he has received so far. The other personalities who consider her mats as their precious possession are Former Energy Secretary Vince Perez, former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of WWF and Lory Tan former President of WWF Philip-

Vol. I, No. 06 | July 24-30, 2020 (Dhu’l-Hijjah 3-9, 1441)

GROWING | from page A11

Growing seed for daily... secure foods in times of crisis, engage individuals in agricultural practices on small land spaces, grow vegetables for physical and financial health, and help supply the family with healthy food to eat. “In this time of crisis, people need to be physically and mentally healthy. A beautiful garden is not just something to be admired in glossy magazines, or in what we see in news articles,” says MP Maisara Dandamun-Latiph. A small study from Wageningen University (Netherlands) comparing the stress-relieving impact of reading with that of garden-

ing found that gardening had a physiologically soothing effect on 30 adult participants. Therefore, it is timely to promote backyard gardening in the province of Lanao del Sur or in BARMM as a whole so that people will be physically and mentally fit. During the awarding ceremony, awardees were able to share their motivations and experiences in growing seeds. This program gave them opportunity to widen the reach of their advocacy to encourage the Bangsamoro people to grow food not only for the table but for a healthy lifestyle. PR

MALAYSIA | from page A10

Malaysia ex-PM Najib found guilty... pines. As of now, the women of this Sama indigenous community of Ungus Matata, Tandubas, Tawi-Tawi, who Hadji Amina Appi have mentored to be master weavers themselves with are still continuing her legacy of weaving mats following her techniques with their complex geometric patterns showcased the precise sense of design, proportion and symmetry and sensitivity to color. This is primarily the livelihood program for women. However, pandan leaves as raw material for mat weaving are short of supply, the proposal would integrate pandan farming so that they would have sustainable source of raw materials for their mat weaving livelihood activity. The Ungus Matata Women Mat Weavers Association have once again decided to work together to reestablish and revive the School of Loving Tradition for Mat Weaving in Tandubas. From the lessons that they have learned from their previous organization they have vowed to rise again y and inspired by their late master. They sh all aim to be registered in any government recognizing agency and they will serve as the proponent of this project which will shall be submitted to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Bureau of Cultural Heritage of BARMM. They are working closely with the Local Chief Executive Mayor Rahima Sali of Tandubas Municipality in Tawi-Tawi. FILEMON ROMERO

doubt on a charge of abuse of power in trial. Najib’s case on Tuesday was for three counts of criminal breach of trust, one count of abuse of power and three counts of money laundering, with each charge carrying a prison sentence of up to 15 to 20 years. It is unclear if he will be sentenced immediately. His lawyers have said sentencing could be delayed or suspended due to the complex nature of the case. The implementation of the sentence can also be stayed if Najib pursues an appeal at the federal court. Najib, who was voted out in a historic 2018 election, faces dozens of criminal charges over allegations that 4.5 billion U.S. dollars were stolen from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). Prosecutors allege more than one billion dollars of the funds made its way into his personal accounts. The scandal, which led to the ousting of Najib’s Umno party after 61 years in power, has upended the country’s political landscape and promoted a series of investigations in countries around the world. Allegations of corruption over 1MDB have hung over Najib for more than five years. But the criminal charges came only two years ago when his successor Mahathir Mohamad reopened investigations. “This is my chance to clear my name,” Najib said in a Facebook post on Monday night. “Whatever the decision tomorrow at the high court, it does not end here,” he said, adding that both sides would appeal any decision at the federal court.

Najib’s lawyers say he was misled by Malaysian financier Jho Low and other 1MDB officials into believing that the funds banked into his accounts were donated by the Saudi royal family, rather than misappropriated from SRC as prosecutors have alleged. Low denies wrongdoing. During the trial, Najib’s lavish spending sprees were brought to light, including credit card purchases that exceeded hundreds of thousands U.S. dollars at luxuriant shops outside the country. But Najib defended these purchases, claiming they were for official purposes. Some of Najib’s supporters had gathered near the courthouse early on Tuesday. Roads to the court were closed off for security reasons. The closely-watched case is seen as a test of Malaysia’s efforts to root out corruption, after Najib’s party was returned to power in February as part of an alliance led by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. The verdict could have far -reaching political implications. A guilty verdict could boost Muhyiddin’s credibility with the public, but weaken his coalition, which counts Najib’s party as its biggest component – and potentially trigger snap polls. An acquittal could turn public sentiment against Muhyiddin and encourage the opposition to challenge the ruling coalition’s two-seat majority in parliament. The court’s decision comes just days after Malaysia reached a 3.9 billion dollars deal with Goldman Sachs over its role in helping 1MDB raise money. (CGTN)