The Pangasinan Star ONLINE

THE Office of the Muslim Affairs (OMA) has appealed to the city government to consider the plight of 37 Muslim families whose houses, located near the seashore, were demolished by authorities three weeks ago.

OMA Director Amoran Andoga was in Dagupan Wednesday to talk to city officials in behalf of Muslims whose homes were torn down by demolition teams from the city government.

Bringing along separate letters from President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Vice President Noli de Castro, Andoga clarified that he came to Dagupan not to oppose the policies of the city government but to help bring its programs closer to the Muslim people.

Datu Michael Bagul, president of the Dagupan Muslim Association, hailed Andoga’s arrival, saying that this was an indication the national government, especially the OMA, has not abandoned them.

In an interview, Bagul said Mayor Benjamin Lim reneged on his promise to provide the affected Muslim families with a relocation site. Officials under Lim, however, said the mayor did not make such a promise but only gave them (Muslims) enough time of three years to relocate themselves.

The Muslims were among several who settled in Dagupan a few years ago in order to escape the ongoing war in Mindanao, Andoga explained, as he appealed for understanding on the plight of his Muslim brothers here.

City Administrator Rafael Baraan who led officials in the dialogue clarified there was no discrimination or injustice committed by the city government when it ordered the demolition of the Muslim houses after accommodating them for many years.

He explained that these had to be demolished after due notices as the Muslim houses were located inside the 72-hectare Tondaligan national park and also for being within a danger zone in the city along the beach area.

Finally softening on his stand over the issue however, Baraan said the city government will start looking for a place where the displaced families, either Muslims or Christians, could be accommodated.

There are at least 6,000 “informal settlers” in the city, according to City Legal Officer Geraldine Baniqued.