RP Moslems call for representation

RP Moslems call for representation

MANILA (DPA): The largest southern Philippine rebel group urged Vice President Joseph Estrada yesterday to appoint a Moslem to his cabinet and avoid the mistake of past presidents who excluded an Islamic representative.

"This time, Mindanao should not be left out," said a letter from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and three other Islamic groups, referring to the troubled southern island.

Estrada, a former movie actor who recently was elected president, has yet to complete his cabinet. Those he has named so far include businessmen with solid reputations, academics and professionals, but no Moslems.

Former ambassador Alunan Glang plus the Moslem Reform Party, the Islamic Missionary Movement and the Confederation of Major Moslem Organizations of the Philippines urged Estrada to heed the clamor of Moslem leaders.