Palace assures gov’t assistance to residents affected by conflict in Lanao del Sur

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 4): Palace assures gov’t assistance to residents affected by conflict in Lanao del Sur

Malacanang assured on Sunday that the entire government is helping the residents displaced by the ongoing military operations against the Maute terror group in Lanao del sur.

”The entire government is helping all the victims of the current conflict happening in that area,” said Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Martin Andanar in an interview with dzRB.

Andanar said the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Department of Health (DOH), in coordination win the local governments are addressing the needs of the evacuees.

A week ago, the Maute Group occupied a portion of the municipal hall of Butig town, prompting the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to launch an offensive that left 62 Maute members dead.

The military operations forced the local residents to flee their homes.

”Everybody in the government is helping because many of our countrymen have been displaced,” Andanar said.

Due to the terroristic act of the Maute group, the AFP has placed several areas in Mindanao particularly Lanao del Sur under red alert.

In a press briefing in Malacanang last Friday, AFP spokesman B/Gen. Restituto Padilla Jr. said the government troops will continue the operations until they guarantee that the local terrorist groups will not be able to return to the area.

Padilla has appealed for full cooperation from the public, emphasizing that security is not only the responsibility of the police and military but “a share responsibility” of every Filipino.

Last Wednesday, President Rodrigo Duterte visited the wounded government troops in different hospitals in Cagayan de Oro.

 http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=945615