By Desiree Caluza
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:21:00 02/01/2009

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines—United Opposition spokesperson Adel Tamano said Muslims should publicly condemn the criminal activities of the Abu Sayyaf, which is suspected of kidnapping three workers of the International Committee of the Red Cross on Jan. 15.

“I’m a Muslim and what the Abu Sayyaf did was anti-Islamic, anti-Christian and immoral,” Tamano said in a press forum here on Friday. “They are destroying our name.”

He said the Abu Sayyaf had put Muslims in a bad light as many people tended to associate them with the bandit group.

A number of Muslim groups are drafting statements to denounce the Abu Sayyaf’s criminal activities, according to Tamano, a lawyer and the president of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.

“It is time for all Muslims to speak out on this issue,” he said, adding that many Muslims could be considered role models because they were contributing to peace efforts and to nation-building.