Newly installed Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar urged all police commanders to work closely with leaders and members of Muslim communities to prove that both Muslims and Christians could live in peaceful co-existence in the country.
He recounted during his visit at the Salaam Compound in Barangay Culiat in Quezon City on Thursday how the Quezon City Police District under his leadership then was able to continue to nurture the good working relationship with leaders and members of the Muslim community to ensure peace and order in the area.
“This good working relationship became a proof that our barangay clustering system, a strategy to effectively manage anti-illegal drugs and anti-criminality campaign, is really working. This became my inspiration to replicate this across the country,” he said.
The barangay clustering basically creates mini-barangays within a barangay to make it easier for the police and barangay officials to effectively manage the anti-drugs and anti-criminality programs.
Each cluster could be composed of existing purok, a sitio, a condominium building, a subdivision or a group of houses in the barangay. Each cluster has a Neighborhood Watch Group, which monitors the presence of illegal drug personalities and other criminal elements and report them later to the police for action.
PGen. Eleazar lauded the leaders and members of the Salaam Compound for their continuous cooperation with the police to finally remove the negative stereotyping against the Muslims.
“Islam is a religion of peace and so do other religious faiths. If we remove negative stereotyping and learn to respect one another, a peaceful co-existence between Muslims and Christians will definitely be assured in our country,” the general explained.
“Kahit anuman ang ating paniniwala, ang dugong Pilipino ang siya pa ring nananalaytay sa ating mga ugat. Gawin natin itong isang magandang instrumento upang maabot ang ating mithiiin na tunay na kapayapaan at progreso ng ating bansa,” he added.
In the same activity, PGen. Eleazar led the Barangayanihan Food Bank Event to mark the celebration of Eid’l Fitr with brother Muslims.
PGen. Eleazar said the Eid’l Fitr, which marks the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan, reminds Filipinos not of their differences but their ideals and goals as one people seeking to rise above difficulties and to triumph amid adversity.
“As the country celebrates Eid’l Fitr, I invite our Muslim brothers to share our dream of a peaceful, harmonious and progressive community to make our country a better place to live in,” said PGen. Eleazar.
(Photo credit: PNP-PIO)