CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) -- The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) has opened a mosque within the Cagayan de Oro (CDO) City Jail Male Dormitory to foster religious inclusivity and support the spiritual needs of Muslim detainees.

“We advocate this kind of undertaking to formally inaugurate this newly constructed magnificent mosque for our Muslim PDL brothers to gather to pray, recite Qur'an, and supplicate to Allah in an atmosphere full of serenity and complete surrender to their creator,” said jail warden Supt William Manengyao.

Manengyao recognizes the role that religion plays in helping those who are deprived of liberty to improve, which is why their staff, stakeholders, and PDLs worked together to build a mosque inside their facility.

The mosque, which will serve more than a hundred  Muslim PDLs, is the 49th mosque in the city.

Abdulnasser Masorong, Jr., regional director of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos-Northern Mindanao, expressed gratitude for the bureau's project because it demonstrates the jail's administration's and BJMP's shared commitment to promoting inclusivity, spiritual development, and rehabilitation within the prison.

“The establishment of this mosque not only provides a sacred space for worship but also serves as a beacon of hope and transformation for those seeking redemption and guidance. It represents our belief in the inherent dignity and worth of every individual, regardless of their past mistakes,” Masorong said.

Further, he commends the management of both City Jail and BJMP-10 for their noble initiative in allowing the PDL the opportunity for a positive transformation and inspiration to embrace change and pursue a path to righteousness.

With the establishment of the mosque, both BJMP and NCMF hope that the Muslim brother PDL may be further guided spiritually, and may it serve as a sanctuary where hearts are healed, souls are nourished, and lives are transformed for the better. (JAKA/PIA-10)