SENATOR Robinhood Padilla on Monday led a Senate hearing to help address purported complaints by Muslim members of the Philippine National Police when it comes to the discrimination issues including being served with non-halal food, specifically pork.

Halal food is any food or product prepared and handled according to Islamic Sharia law as interpreted in the Quran. In general, halal food will have no trace of pork or alcohol and does not mix haram products. They include fruits and vegetables and animals which must be slaughtered by a Muslim who says a blessing and by hand, not by machine.

Muslims who eat Halal do not consume the fresh blood of animals. They also don’t consume pork or any of its products which they considered unclean meat.

PNP Director for Police-Community Relations, Major General Edgar Alan O. Okubo attended the public hearing of the Senate Committee on Cultural Communities and Muslim Affairs chaired by Sen. Padilla. Also present was Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian and other senior PNP officials.

Senate Resolution No. 743 directed Padilla’s committee to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the plight of the local Muslim Community in light of the numerous acts and practices that disadvantage and undermine their religious beliefs, particularly in the observance of their dietary principles.

Some of the issues cited by Sen. Padilla during the hearing were the alleged discrimination incidents in the PNP namely the hostage-taking incident of jailed former Senator Leila M. De Lima inside the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame with the escapees claiming they were treated like animals as they served with pork and the shooting incident inside the Taguig City Police Station where a Muslim policeman shot and killed two of his colleagues due to alleged discrimination of dietary practices.

Maj. Gen. Okubo told the senators that every PNP personnel receives a regular subsistence allowance included to their paycheck due to differences in shifts/duty and considering also that kitchen personnel or those designated to prepare food has limited knowledge on the proper way to prepare Halal foods.

The official thus cited the need to strengthen the education and training of all their personnel to further raise awareness on the matter.

Maj. Gen. Okubo also told the senators that a 2-day seminar on Islamic Cultural and Religious Sensitivity is being conducted already by the PNP to raise awareness for cultural sensitivities among PNP personnel.

He also said they are proposing to include a subject on cultural insensitivity on all PNP training programs.

Padilla seconded the need for proper education and training not only among PNP personnel but of all communities to uphold respect amongst all for the enjoyment of religious freedom.

He also called on the Commission on Human Rights thru Commissioner Faydah Dumapra to visit the PNP Custodial Center and conduct and assessment and evaluation on the food preparation system for the detainees.

Last October 9, three PNP Custodial Center detainees led by Feliciano Sulayao, a known sub-leader of the Abu Sayyaf Group tried to bolt the maximum-security jail facility inside Camp Crame.
Two of his fellows identified as Abu Sayyaf sub-leader Idang Susukan and Dawlah Islamiyah member Arnel Cabintoy were shot dead by an alert tower guard when they pounced on a lone guard and stabbed him repeatedly.

Sulayao managed to reach the cell of De Lima and briefly held him hostage with the use of a knife before the director of the PNP-HSS, Brigadier Gen. Mark D. Pespes managed to shoot the hostage-taker dead as the latter readied to stab the former lawmaker in the neck and body. De Lima was unhurt in the hostage-shooting incident.

On the other hand, during the Senate hearing, Police Chief Master Sergeant Al-Rakib Aguell, the cop who killed two of his colleagues inside the Taguig City police station claimed that he was allegedly being discriminated against by his fellows and allegedly was served pork without his knowledge.

Infuriated, the suspect exchanged fire with Sgt. Heriberto Saguiped and wounded Corporal Alison Sindac who died hours later.

In the hearing, PNP Human Rights Affairs Office acting chie f Colonel Jerico O. Baldeo said any discrimination on matters of culture and religion taking place in the police force will be investigated. He added that if the situation warrants, the guilty party will be meted out penalties.

Senator Gatchalian agreed that penalties should be imposed for violation involving the proper preparation of Halal foods and any discrimination on the free exercise of religion and practice of cultural beliefs.