COTABATO CITY, Philippines โ Thousands of Muslims gathered early Friday, June 6, in various barangays of Cotabato City for the traditional outdoor congregational prayers marking Eidโl Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice.
The religious observance, held simultaneously by Muslim communities around the world, commemorates the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son in obedience to God โ a foundational narrative in Islamic tradition.
Eidโl Adha, along with Eidโl Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, are two of the most important feasts in Islam.
Bangsamoro Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua and Cotabato City Mayor Mohammad Ali Matabalao thanked the Police Regional OfficeโBangsamoro Autonomous Region, the 5th Marine Battalion of the 1st Marine Brigade, and the Armyโs 6th Infantry Division for ensuring security across prayer sites in the city and neighboring provinces.
A significant number of those deployed to secure the prayer gatherings were non-Muslim members of the police and military, both officials noted.
โI am thankful to our Christian brothers in uniform who helped secure the prayer areas,โ said Macacua, emphasizing the interfaith cooperation on display during the celebration.
In their Eid messages, both Macacua and Matabalao urged constituents to sustain support for the Mindanao peace process, which they said goes hand-in-hand with efforts toward inclusive development and deeper cultural understanding in the Bangsamoro region.
โWe in the city government will do our best to help push the Mindanao peace process forward while we focus on our domestic public service thrusts,โ said Matabalao, who was reelected for a second term in the May 12 elections.
Macacua also lauded the efforts of local government units in facilitating peaceful and orderly celebrations even in remote areas of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
During the morning sermons, several Muslim clerics called on worshipers to support ongoing interfaith peacebuilding efforts, underscoring the role of unity in sustaining gains from the peace process.
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