RP Catholic bishop backs creation of Islamic state

MANILA, Philippines - A Catholic bishop on Monday backed calls for the creation of an Islamic state where Islamic laws and traditions are freely exercised. Marawi Bishop Edwin dela Peña said the Philippine government should take exceptional interests on how an Islamic way of life can be lived by Muslims in Mindanao. "It is about time that we should give to our brother and sister Muslims their aspirations for Mindanao," Dela Peña said in a statement posted on the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines website. He also urged the national government to do some stretching on their stand on ancestral domain issue in talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Dela Peña said creating an Islamic State within Philippine territory is possible and this will allow the Muslims to move freely in a pure Islamic environment. He said that there is nothing to fear having an Islamic state since Muslims and Christians can still co-exist. "The Christians are still covered by the Civil law of the land while the Muslims are covered by Shari'ah law. More so, the Islamic state will also allow the creation of Islamic institutions inspired by Qur'an," he said. On the other hand, Dela Peña who asked the government to do some "stretching" on their stand on ancestral domain issue, a contentious point in GRP-MILF peace talks. "If going beyond the constitution will help attain finality in the peace talks, then the Arroyo regime should consider doing it." He said the government will just stretch out its stand on ancestral domain so that the issue will be put to rest and the peace agreement will be signed. "I think it is not unfair because the government will just stretch out a little without really breaking the law," he said. The government brought up the issue of "legality and constitutionality" in the draft memorandum of agreement (MOA) on ancestral domain, which both the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have earlier agreed and this prevented the peace talks to resume this year. Dela Peña said that if the ancestral domain issue remains unresolved and will only derail the resumption of the peace negotiation then the government has to take a little sacrifice in the name of peace in Mindanao . "If we are really for peace, we don't care if we sacrifice as long as we can assure that there will be peace ... Mindanao has suffered enough. Let's give peace a chance now," he said. - GMANews.TV