Robin Padilla attends Mamasapano peace sorties

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines – Actor Robin Padilla yesterday urged residents of Mamasapano town in  Maguindanao to remain calm and strong in the wake of challenges confronting the Mindanao peace process.

Padilla, who converted to Islam when he was jailed for illegal possession of firearms almost two decades ago, told villagers he is confident the Jan. 25 incident that left 44 Special Action Force (SAF)commandos killed would not affect the peace efforts of the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Padilla and his wife Mariel were the guests of honor in yesterday’s “Yakapayapaan” fellowship mission here conducted by officials of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Padilla and Rodriguez were accompanied by ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman and his wife, Anak Mindanao party-list Rep. Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman. The Hatamans are staunch supporters of Malacañang’s peace overtures with the MILF.

The ARMM’s Humanitarian Emergency Assistance and Response Team and the provincial government of Maguindanao have been providing relief and rehabilitation services to evacuees for more than two weeks now.

Padilla told residents of Tukanalipao, Pidsandawan and Inog-og villages to support peaceful means of resolving the conflict sparked by the encounter between the SAF commandos and the MILF guerrillas.

He provided cash assistance to the families of civilians killed in the incident.