“Common word between you and us: Love of God and Love of Neighbor” – the theme of this year’s Mindanao Week of Peace originated from a famous letter written by 138 Muslim religious leaders and scholars from all over the world on October 13, 2007. They addressed the letter to Pope Benedict XVI and other leaders of the Christian faith. It was a call for peace and harmony through inter-religious dialogue. They quoted the Prophet Muhammad who had addressed the “people of the Scripture” concerning a “common word between us and you.” That common word consisted of faith in the One true God, Love of God and love of neighbor.

(Note: This is the 3rd installment of a 4-day series authored by Dureza, former presidential adviser on Mindanao who is now Publisher of the Mindanao TIMES, a daily newspaper and manages in the private sector Advocacy MindaNow Foundation.)

DAY THREE , Nov 25

830 AM, I visited a funeral parlor in Marbel. Some bodies were not identified yet. I talked with the relatives, many parlor-hopping, visiting every funeral parlor and looking at mangled bodies hoping to identify missing loved ones.

(NOTE: Part 2 of a 4-day series recalling 4 critical days of the so-called Maguindanao massacre authored by Dureza , former presidential adviser for Mindanao and now Publisher of Mindanao TIMES daily newspaper and managing Advocacy MindaNow Foundation in the private sector.)

DAY TWO – Nov 24

At the break of dawn, Sec Bert Gonzales and I took the earliest flight to Gen Santos City. The medical checkup could wait, both I and Beth agreed. She’s been used to this kind of “sudden take off” schedules since my work as newsman in the 70’s and worsened by being in the presidential beck and call since President Ramos up to President Arroyo.