COTABATO CITY – Thousands of Muslim faithful gathered in various congregational prayer venues here Friday as they celebrated Eid’l Fitr, the culmination of the month-long fasting period of Ramadan.
Local law enforcement units remained on alert although no major untoward incidents were reported across the city.
“The celebration (Eid’l Fitr) has been generally peaceful. So far, so good,” said Senior Supt. Rolly Octavio, city police director.
Mayor Cynthia Guiani–Sayadi has earlier urged Cotabateños to celebrate the event solemnly and peacefully with family and friends.
Sayadi warned that police would arrest violators for indiscriminate firing of guns, and igniting of fireworks, among others, during the festivity.
“Fortunately, there were no reported indiscriminate firing of guns in the air, no firecracker bursts, no victims of stray bullets whatsoever in the city compared to same event in the past,” said Halima Satol-Ibrahim, city information officer.
However, traffic though stalled in several areas of the city due to the Eid’l congregational prayer events at the Cotabato City Central Pilot School along Sinsuat Avenue; the Bolkiah Grand Mosque in Timako area; and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) complex along Governor Gutierrez Avenue.
In the ARMM complex alone, an estimated 3,000 people gathered in the morning prayers. In the ARMM, meanwhile, close to four million Muslims are expected to celebrate the three-day Eid’l Fitr over the weekend in the cities of Marawi and Lamitan, and the provinces of Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Basilan, and Lanao del Sur.
“Banded together–as peers and friends, as families, as communities, as one people sharing the same aspirations–we become even more mindful of the greatness we can achieve through Allah,” ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman said in a statement.
He said that Ramadan is a time of both reflection and struggle amid so many choices even as Muslims are taught to submit to the will of Allah; to side with what is kind, just, and good; to be cleansed of negativity, and emerge from every challenge with peace and greater clarity of purpose.
During Eid al-Fitr, Muslims congregate in open areas to perform prayers followed by a short sermon given by the Imam, or worship leader.
Family gatherings, feasts, visits to relatives and friends, and exchanging of gifts are part of the celebration. Malacañang has declared Friday, June 15, a regular holiday throughout the country in observance of Eid’l Fitr. (Noel Punzalan/PNA)
