Arrival of 13 robe-wearing Muslims alarms Bohol cops

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol—The arrival of 13 men clad in thobe, the traditional robe attire for Muslim men, from Cagayan de Oro City created a stir in Jagna town, Bohol, in view of the tension in Marawi City.

It turned out that these “suspicious-looking” men were Muslim missionaries who were preparing for the start of Ramadan scheduled for Saturday.

Senior Insp. Hernan Legaspi, chief of Jagna Police Station, said the 13 missionaries arrived aboard a sea craft from Cagayan de Oro City about 5 a.m. on May 23, at Jagna port, 63 km east of Tagbilaran City.

All of them were wearing the long sleeved, ankle-length robe when they disembarked from the small ferry boat.

Legaspi said due to the tension in Marawi, the police stationed in Jagna had been placed on heightened alert since Tuesday to increase security at the town’s port, where vessels dock and unload passengers usually from Mindanao.

The heightened security stemmed from the attempt of the Abu Sayyaf members to set up a base in the province of Bohol on April 10.

The attempt was foiled following the killing of at least 10 Abu Sayyaf members in separate string of operations that lasted for more than a month.

The security was further beefed up following the ongoing siege in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur that started on Tuesday afternoon after the government forces conducted a raid at the safehouse of Isnilon Hapilon, a top leader of the Abu Sayyaf bandits based in Basilan and also a leader of the Islamic State in Southeast Asia.

When the 13 missionaries arrived at the port, they were approached by the police and were interviewed at the pier.

Legaspi said the men were cooperative when they were questioned by authorities.

It turned out that the 13 men are Maranaos and are Davao-based missionaries who were scheduled to visit Muslim communities in Tagbilaran City and the towns of Jagna, Ubay and Talibon for the Ramadan.

The Ramadan, a holy month of the Muslim, will start on May 27 and end on June 24.

The end of Ramadan will be marked by Eid al-Fitr on June 25, which means “festival of breaking the fast.”

Legaspi said the men produced identification cards and documents to prove they are legitimate missionaries.

Their address in Davao City was also verified by police.

“The Davao City Police Station and the barangay captain of Mini Forest, Quezon Boulevard in Davao City also told us that they are law-abiding citizens,” said Legaspi.

“All of them have no derogatory records,” he added.

Police said that Gasa Medal, an imam of the Muslim community in Pandan, Jagna town, vouched for the Maranao men.

Jagna has two barangays that have large Muslim populations composed of Maranaos and Tausugs.

Legaspi said the town is also frequented by Muslim missionaries during the season of Ramadan. JPV/rga