MindaNews fact-checked a memorandum circulating on Facebook and in Messenger group chats that South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. has declared March 11 a holiday in the province for the observance of Lailatul Isra wal Mi’raj.
The memorandum is fake, Tamayo’s office notified the public.
The provincial government of South Cotabato has not declared Monday, March 11, a holiday in observance of Lailatul Isra wal Mi’raj, or the Night Journey and Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad, which was actually observed last February 8 and was a holiday in several parts of Mindanao, including South Cotabato.
The office of South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. made the clarification on Thursday, March 7, after a copy of a fake memorandum bearing his signature, which declared Monday a legal Muslim holiday in the province, circulated on Facebook.
“Per memorandum from the Office of National Commission on Muslim Filipinos and in Reference to Presidential Decree 1083 otherwise known as the Code of Muslim Personal Laws of the Philippines, “Lailatul Isra Wal Mi Raj” or nocturnal journey and ascension of the Prophet Muhammad is a recognized Muslim Legal Holiday which falls on March 11 this year (sic),” the fake memorandum stated.
With the subject line “Observance of Muslim Legal Holiday,” it said all government offices in South Cotabato, being the regional center of Region 12, are enjoined to suspend work on March 11 to give ample time to all employees who would like to celebrate this special day.”
The governor’s office said the memorandum was tampered and fake.
For this year, the commemoration of Lailatul Isra Wal Mi’raj had already lapsed. It was observed last February 8 and considered a holiday in several parts of Mindanao.
According to Article 170 of Presidential Decree (PD) 1083, issued 4 February 1977, the Lailatul Isra wal Mi’raj holiday shall be officially observed in the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur, and in the cities of Cotabato, Iligan, Marawi, Pagadian, and Zamboanga and in such other Muslim provinces and cities as may hereafter be created.
Tamayo issued a memorandum, dated last January 26, declaring February 8 a holiday in the province in observance of Lailatul Isra wal Mi’raj.
In a memorandum dated last February 7, Civil Service Commission chairperson Karlo Nograles said “all Muslim government officials and employees in places other than those enumerated under Article 170 of PD 1083 shall be excused from reporting to office in order that they may observe the Muslim Holiday. To reiterate, all Muslim government officials and employees are free from office work on 8 February 2024 without being marked absent.”
As with all our other reports, MindaNews welcomes leads or suggestions from the public to potential fact-check stories. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)
