On January 16-17, 2024, in the Bangsamoro Government Center, Cotabato City, we, Muslim and Christian religious leaders, gather together to reflect and share our views on the tragic terroristic bombing during a Catholic Mass on December 3, 2023 at the Marawi Mindanao State University (MSU) gymnasium. This barbaric act resulted in the killing of four and the wounding of several others.

The terroristic bombing and killing in MSU-Marawi are truly deplorable, as they occurred almost five years after Pope Francis and Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, signed a joint Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together (Abu Dhabi, 04 February 2019).

We are comforted and inspired by the mutual assistance of Muslims and Christians given to the victims in the aftermath of the bombing, a sign of continuing fraternity amidst violence. We pray that such assistance, given especially by the national and local governments, would significantly contribute to the complete healing of the trauma suffered by the victims and their families.

We also gather to honor the legacy of the late Wali of the Bangsamoro, His Eminence, Sheikh Khalifa U. Nando, the late Bangsamoro Mufti, His Eminence, Sheikh Abuhuraira A. Udasan (Allahu yarhamhuma), for their religious contributions to the peace process. Likewise, we honor the co- convenors of the Bishops Ulama Conference (BUC) the late Archbishop Fernando R. Capalla, Archbishop Emeritus of Davao, the late Governor Dr. Mahid M. Mutilan, and Bishop Hilario M. Gomez, Jr.

We, Muslim and Christian religious leaders, are one in declaring:

1. That the bombing in Marawi at the Holy Mass, the holiest Catholic religious worship, on 03 December, is a heinous sacrilegious act;

2. That the killing of innocent civilians by terrorists under the guise of religion is a condemnable and cruel irreligious act that defiantly contradicts both Muslim and Christian beliefs;

3. That the killing of innocent civilians and religious believers are demonic acts, condemned by the teachings of every religion in the world.

In the light of the above undisputed reasons, we have collectively decided:

1. That, as religious leaders, we need to be pro-active against similar terroristic acts by imparting to our constituents the true teachings of our religious traditions and sacred scriptures, the Glorious Qur’an and the Holy Bible;

2. That we commit ourselves to the principles and objectives of the Peace Process between the Bangsamoro and the Government of the Philippines, fostering a sense of collective responsibility and renewed dedication to achieving enduring peace;

3. That the way of inter-religious dialogue is one of the most effective ways of establishing a Culture of Peace, mutual respect and understanding among peoples of different faiths in the Bangsamoro and the whole country in general;

4. That injustice and oppression are the main causes of underdevelopment, divisions, conflicts, and marginalization; and hence, various ways to promote social justice, cultural, religious, and economic development would substantially take away the ground for terrorism and armed- conflict; and

5. In line with the principles of transitional justice, as embedded in the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), we call on the commitment of the National Government and the Bangsamoro Regional Government to provide comprehensive programs and mechanism for its full implementation.

We express our deep gratitude:

• to Secretary Carlito G. Galvez, Jr., of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), for actively building bridges of peace in BARMM and for presenting to us the peace programs and current peace activities of OPAPRU;
• to Honorable Governor Abdulraof A. Macacua of the province of Maguindanao del Norte for his unwavering support and initiative in ensuring that the Bangsamoro people enjoy the gains of the peace process;
• to Dr. Muhammad Nadzir Ebil, Islamic Jurist of the Bangsamoro Darul-ifta’, for his very informative presentation of Islamic teachings on justice and peace; to Most Rev. Edwin de la Peña, M.S.P., Bishop of the Prelature of Marawi, for his moving personal story of the present scenario of Marawi, a month and a half after the bombing;
• to the Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BDPA), BARMM for allowing us to conduct our two-day Mindanao Ulama – Bishop Dialogue Meeting; and
• our heart-felt thanks especially to the Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), for generously supporting and facilitating our dialogue. Our assembly is a concrete expression of the objectives of HWPL through its Religious Peace Academy (RPA) to promote inter-religious dialogue towards harmony and peace by means of quality scripture education, rooted in the teachings of the Glorious Qur’an and the Holy Bible.

Signed:

For the Officers and Members of Darul-ifta’ BARMM

DR. MUHAMMAD NÁDZIR S. EBIL
Islamic Jurist, Bangsamoro Darul-Ifta’

EMRANG. MOHAMAD
Executive Director, Bangsamoro Darul-Ifta’

For the Christian Religious Leaders

HIS EMINENCE ORLANDO B. CARDINAL QUEVEDO, O.Μ.Ι.
Archbishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Cotabato

MOST REV. ANGELITO R. LAMPON, O.M.Ι.
Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Cotabato

MOST REV. EDWIN A. DE LA PEÑA, M.S.P.
Bishop of the Prelature of Marawi

MOST REV. ANTONIO J. LEDESMA, S.J.
Archbishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro

PASTOR BRAYAN P. SAGUBAN
River of God/Evangelical Denomination

For the Academic Institutions

Datu Mussolini S. Lidasan
Executive Director of Al Qalam Institute for Islamic Identities and Dialogue in Southeast Asia
Ateneo de Davao University