Muslim Army soldiers troop to mosques

ZAMBOANGA CITY - About a thousand Muslim Army soldiers, including officers and enlisted personnel, assigned in Western Mindanao set aside their boots, guns and ammunitions as they joined their fellow Islam faithful across the nation on the first day of the observance of the month-long Ramadan on Wednesday.

Instead of charging to the battle zones, the soldiers took to the mosques inside the various Philippine Army (PA) camps under the 1st Army Division in Western Mindanao and parts of Lanao provinces, said Aarmy division spokesperson Capt. Jefferson Somera.

The soldiers wearing their kupya (caps), brought sujarah (carpet) as they gathered to pray. Their prayers reverberated from the minarets of the different mosques in the Army camps at noon time.

“All our soldiers and officers in Islam faith officially started the observance of Ramadan today,” Somera said.

He said that the Army soldiers practicing the Islam faith are exempted from performing strenuous duty during the month-long fasting.

Maj. Jaran Abdula, the civil-military operation (CMO) chief of Task Force Zamboanga (TFZ), said the soldiers will pray for fice times during the day and the Jumaah tarawi (group prayer) in the mosque.

Major Adzramien Sahisa CHS, the command Imam (preacher), led the month-long fasting and devotion as part of the Ramadan celebration at the 1st Army Division mosque.

During the start of Ramadan, acting First Army Division chief Brig. Gen. Felicito Virgilio Trinidad called on Muslim soldiers to include in their prayers and devotion the realization of peace in Mindanao and the country.

Muslims, who are in the Marines unit in Sulu, have also joined the start of the observance of Ramadan while the rest of the troops remained on alert on the possible retaliatory and diversionary attacks of the Abu Sayyaf group.

The police forces in the region have been alerted also to secure the places of worship of the Muslims to preempt any sabotage, according to Chief Superintendent Juanito Vaño, police director for Western Mindanao.