The Philippine Catholic bishops appealed for a "return to normalcy and peace ... as soon as possible," as violence continues in the southern part of the country.
In a statement at the end of their biannual meeting on July 10, the bishops appealed for dialogue with Muslims, "so that our various faiths may not be exploited and abused for the sake of terrorism or violent extremism," reported ucanews.com.
The church leaders urged parents, schools, churches and mosques to "ensure that none may be lured by the recruitment efforts of terrorists."
