More than 6,000 Meranaws gather at Grand Mosque during Eid'l Fitr

MARAWI CITY – Thousands of Meranaws rejoiced as they gathered to celebrate this year's Eid al-Fitr at the Jameo Mindanao Al-Islamic, Islamic center of Marawi for the first time in five years or since war between the government forces and the Maute group linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) erupted in May 2017.

The Grand Mosque Secretary of the Board and Administrator representative Hadji Ibrahim Mansungayan Pangarungan estimated the Eid prayer attendees to be more than six thousand.

"The present administration now is feeling happy because this is for five years na hindi nagamit...they are all blessed na na-open ang Grand Mosque,” said Hadji Ibrahim Mansungayan Pangarungan.

“We are very happy, I hope that this will be the beginning for our love and peace,” Mansungayan Pangarungan added.

"We are asking the government to allow us to use the road, the mosque is no problem, the administrator (Comelec Chair Saidamen Pangarungan) is always open 24 hours," he said.

Mansungayan Pangarungan also said they wanted to go back and build their houses inside most affected areas (MAA) and prayed for a peaceful and orderly election on May 9.

"For the election we pray for peace, the secretary, my nephew wants peace, there is no war, that is why you are bringing military so that everybody can vote freely," said Mansungayan Pangarungan.

According to Mansungayan Pangarungan, giving payment of bribery, or asking and receiving money just to vote their favorite is forbidden in Islam.

"About naman sa bigayan, that is individual feeling, hindi natin makita kung mabigyan sila doon o anu man, so wala tayong makita. Since life I’m here na wala pa na conviction na nagbibigay dito, so di natin maka-determine ba", he said.

He added that the future president they would like to have is the one who could really help the Muslims, Pangarungan added.

Meanwhile, Commission on Election of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (COMELEC BARMM) Regional Director Atty. Ray F. Sumalipao joined his Meranao brothers in prayers.

“We have the same vision...honest, orderly, peaceful and foremost credible election," he said in a text message.

Muslim faithfuls also gathered at White Mosque as it was likewise made available on the same day for the Eid prayers while the same sacred celebration was also spearheaded at the golf course of the Mindanao State University (MSU)-Main Campus here.