Evacuees in Maguindanao, N. Cotabato almost 100,000

From Rappler (Mar 20): Evacuees in Maguindanao, N. Cotabato almost 100,000

Clashes between government forces and Muslim rebels also affect more than 130,000 persons in Maguindanao and North Cotabato



DISPLACED FILIPINOS. People displaced by fighting sleep at an evacuation center in the southern Philippines. File photo by Ferdinandh Cabrera

Up to 99,590 Filipinos have fled their towns due to the armed conflict between the Philippine government and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Maguindanao and North Cotabato.

The government has opened about 75 evacuation centers for them.

Up to 19,918 families live in the evacuation centers located in Pikit, North Cotabato, and 13 Maguindanao towns as of Friday, March 20.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) pegged the total number of affected persons at 131,150 (26,834 families):

TOWNS	# OF AFFECTED FAMILIES	# OF AFFECTED PERSONS
Mamasapano, Maguindanao	5,723	28,615
Pagalungan, Maguindanao	1,820	9,100
Datu Salibo, Maguindanao	3,365	16,825
Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Maguindanao	2,670	13,350
Datu Unsay, Maguindanao	966	4,830
Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao	3,213	16,065
Rajah Buayan, Maguindanao	555	2,775
Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, Maguindanao	128	640
Datu Saudi-Ampatuan, Maguindanao	2,284	11,420
Guindulungan, Maguindanao	999	4,995
Talayan, Maguindanao	956	4,780
Talitay, Maguindanao	712	3,560
Datu Anggal Midtimbang, Maguindanao	243	1,215
Pikit, North Cotabato	3,200	16,000

On Friday, Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman added that about 45 houses in Pagalungan, Maguindanao, and Pikit, North Cotabato, were also totally damaged. The BIFF burned most of these houses.

The clashes between government and BIFF began on February 25, after Armed Forces of the Philippines chief General Gregorio Catapang Jr ordered the Western Mindanao Command to "conduct all-out offensive operations" against the breakaway group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Meanwhile, a clash between the Philippine Army and the New People’s Army affected 125 families or 625 persons in Bitaugan, Surigao del Sur. No evacuation centers have been set-up for residents.

The DSWD has provided assistance worth P24,577,690 to all areas affected by armed conflict:

• Maguindanao - P20,103,800
• North Cotabato - P4,421,600
• Surigao del Sur - P52,290

"Ang ating armed conflict in Mindanao [ay] sa iba't ibang lugar, at ang pinakadahilan, except for Surigao, ay ang paghahabol sa BIFF at sa teroristang si Usman," Soliman said. (Our armed conflict in Mindanao is spread in different areas, and the main reason, except for Surigao, is to go after BIFF and the terrorist Usman.)
Filipino terrorist Abdul Basit Usman was one of the two "high-value targets" of the botched January 25 operation of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (SAF). The other target was Malaysian Zulkifli bin Hir or Marwan.

The police operation in Mamasapano led to the death of 44 SAF troopers, 18 MILF members, and 5 civilians. Marwan was also killed, but Usman escaped.

http://www.rappler.com/nation/87467-evacuation-clashes-maguindanao-north-cotabato