Monday, June 15, 2015

Army engineers complete mosque, bridge in Mamasapano, Maguindanao

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 15): Army engineers complete mosque, bridge in Mamasapano, Maguindanao

The military's 6th Infantry Division engineering division will turn over to the residents of Barangay Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, Maguindanao a mosque built by Army engineers and funded by the office of Regional Gov. Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Military engineers from the 6th ID and 601st Infantry Brigade started the construction last month including a concrete bridge in the village that will replace the wooden one.

Hataman's office earlier allotted P70-million socio-economic and diplomatic interventions aimed at fast tracking the restoration of normalcy in the village following the deadly clash that left 44 police, 18 Moro rebels and three civilians killed on January 25.

Two months ago, the government decided to repair the bridge and construct a concrete one with Army engineers in the forefront. A road concreting project and a mosque was part of the development package.

According to Engr. James Mlok of Maguindanao's second engineering district, the mosque and the bridge construction was going on smoothly.

Mlok said the concrete bridge was erected a few meters away from the iconic wooden bridge near a corn field where the Philippine National Police Special Action Force and the MILF forces clashed on January 25.

Mlok's office is constructing a road network connecting Barangay Poblacion to Barangay Tukanalipao.

Initial reports said President Benigno Aquino III, who will witness the decommissioning of firearms of the MILF in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, will have a side trip to Barangay Tukanalipao but security concerns were given major consideration.

The decommissioning process will take place at the old provincial capitol of Maguindanao, situated in Barangay Simuay, Sultan Kudarat town, about 60 kilometers or an hour and a half drive to Mamasapano town.

Major Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, 6th ID chief who has jurisdiction over Army engineers working on the mosque, said the villagers of Tukanalipao were thankful of the military's efforts to help build the place of worship.

Pangilinan said the mosque will be opened in time for the start of the fasting month on June 17 or June 18.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=772648

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