NEWSFLASH 

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ROBIN PADILLA ON ISLAM, POLITICS

Quezon City, March 6, 2000 - Former RP showbiz Bad Boy Robin Padilla is showing everyone how he is trying his best to be a good Muslim.

He used to be a member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and converted while serving time for illegal possession of firearms at the Muntinlupa National Penitentiary. He married his long-time live-in sweetheart Leizl (mother of his 3 daughters), in Islamic rites while he was still in prison.

At last Thursday’s second press conference with Jolina Magdangal for their Star Cinema movie titled “Tunay na Tunay, Gets Mo?” Robin would turn serious everytime he answered questions about his being a Muslim. For example, about praying five times a day wherever a Muslim happens to be at the prescribed hours of prayer.

“Actually, it’s not true that a Muslim can pray anywhere for as long as he faces Mecca. You can’t pray in a comfort room, dahil by nature, it’s a place for dirt. Hindi ka rin pwedeng magdasal sa sementeryo, lalo na kung sementeryo ng mga Kristyano ‘yon, dahil parang du’n ka sa mga patay nagdarasal,” he patiently explained.

How did he adjust to praying five times a day when there was no such practice among Jehovah’s Witnesses?

“Kahit ano naman ang relihiyon ng isang tao, kailangan lagi siyang nagdadasal. Ang kaibhan lang nga sa kaso naming mga Muslim, required na magdasal ka at certain times of the day. But praying isn’t really strange for me. Nagdadasal din naman ako nung Jehovah’s Witness pa ako.”

Robin was asked if wearing a Muslim cap was part of religious observance.

“It’s a Muslim custom to wear a cap, to cover their heads, pero hindi dahil bahagi ng relihiyon nila, kundi ng tradisyon lang nila. Saka, parang pang-identify na rin sa aming mga Muslim yon.”

Robin believes that Mindanao should be fully given to the Muslims to govern as part of the Philippines.

“Marami talagang matinding pagkakaiba ang Kristiyanismo at Islam, kaya parang hindi talaga sila pwedeng magsama sa iisang lugar nang hindi magkakagalit-galit eventually. Magulo lang naman ang mga Muslim pag pinapakialaman sila ng mga Kristiyano. Pag sila-sila lang, mapapayapa sila.”

He has no plans to run for a political office in Mindanao, to work for his fellow Muslims there officially.

“If I live there, maybe I would think of doing that. Pero yung Muslim ka na papasok sa pulitika dito sa Metro Manila o sa kung saan pa mang Christian territory, walang mangyayari sa ‘yo. Yung mismong mga gino-govern mo, hindi mo makakasundo.”

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