We write in reaction to the news story titled ?Blood might spill with mosque?s demolition? (Inquirer, 8/28/09), to correct the information that a leader of informal settlers around the Baclaran Mosque is spreading, in effect giving the impression that their rights as Muslims have been trampled upon.

The Baclaran Mosque is going to be demolished but not just for the sake of destroying it. It is going to be relocated to Parañaque City on a 500-square-meter land (to be administered and managed by the Office on Muslim Affairs) to pave the way for the construction of a facility meant to ease traffic. The Central Business Park 1-Island A Association Inc., through the PRA, has allocated P5 million for the construction of the new mosque in Parañaque City.

The Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA), during the time of my predecessor, allotted P30,000 for each of the affected Muslim informal settlers (led by mosque administrator Sohaile Tandato) in accordance with Republic Act 7279. However, there were a few families led by new mosque administrator Abdelmanan Tanandato, younger brother of Sohaile, who refused the privileges granted under RA 7279.

Government projects should not be made subject to the caprice of a stubborn few at the expense of the majority. Vital transportation projects, such as the one that will be built on the land where the mosque now stands should not be delayed.

It is not correct to say that this handful of Muslims, brandishing Islam for some unlawful cause, had helped reclaim the land on which the mosque now stands. It was a company of Harry Stonehill that made possible the reclamation of that portion of the Manila Bay.

Likewise, it is not correct to say that a permission to reclaim the submerged land was secured from the Parañaque mayor. The place is located in Pasay City. When the informal settlers applied for a building permit for the construction of the mosque from Pasay City, their application was denied, so what they did was get a permit from Parañaque which was made to believe that the site was within its territorial jurisdiction.

To get a building permit requires proof of ownership of the land where the building is to be built. Even to put up a fence requires a permit. But the Tanandato brothers cannot show proof of ownership. Their buildings are therefore illegal.

We would not have known these facts were it not for their admission during several hearings conducted by Pasay?s Sangguniang Panglungsod, which has tried in vain to settle this controversy.

As to Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz, he has already written Ms Andrea P. Domingo, PRA?s general manager and CEO, asking her to forgive him for allowing himself to act on ?misinformation? given to him by individuals he did not name.

We hope this will enlighten the public about this controversy.

?ALI B. SANGKI,
undersecretary and executive director,
Office on Muslim Affairs