Gov't, MILF plan another rescue of trapped civilians in Marawi

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 8): Gov't, MILF plan another rescue of trapped civilians in Marawi

Government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peacekeepers are working on another truce between the military and the Maute group to allow the rescue of at least 2,000 trapped civilians in the conflict zone in this city.

“We are aiming to go farther and get as many (trapped civilians) as we can,” said Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Assistant Secretary Dickson Hermoso, who is also the focal person of the government in the joint ‘Peace Corridor” initiative.

Hermoso said this time, they will prioritize the sick, wounded, children, women, and the elderly.

It is the second attempt of government and the MILF through its Joint Coordinating, Monitoring and Assistance Center (JCMAC) to free the remaining trapped civilians since the fighting erupted on May 23.

On Sunday, June 4, the JCMAC was able to rescue 134 trapped civilians after convincing the military and the Maute group for a four-hour ceasefire to allow rescue operations.

The three-kilometer “Peace Corridor” stretches from the Banggulo Bridge to Quezon Avenue inside the conflict zone in Marawi City.

But two soldiers were killed during Sunday’s rescue operation as the Maute group members fired sporadically despite the four-hour ceasefire agreement.

To date, the JCMAC is still assessing the situation so as to effectively carryout another rescue attempt.

On Wednesday, June 7, the JCMAC also opened a 73-kilometer alternative route from Malabang, Lanao del Sur to Marawi City to facilitate the delivery of emergency relief assistance.

“The second peace corridor is now open in Lanao del Sur. The first corridor was to rescue trapped civilians. Yesterday, we opened the peace corridor between Malabang area to Marawi City. Unknown to many, this route has been unsafe and unsecured, food and other humanitarian aid have not be able to pass through,” Irene Santiago, government implementing panel chairperson, on Thursday said in a press briefing.

On Thursday, members of the JCMAC that includes military, police, and MILF have secured the alternative route as relief goods from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s Humanitarian Emergency Action Response Team (ARMM-HEART), United Bangsamoro Humanitarian Assistance (UBHA), MILF’s Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) were transported to evacuation sites.

The government and MILF peacekeepers have also secured the deployment of physicians and supplies from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Tamparan, Lanao del Sur.

“We were able to establish the JCMAC to open a mobility corridor from Malabang (town) to the municipalities along the Lake Lanao because there are so many evacuees affected by the conflict here in Marawi (City) that runs towards the southern part of the province,” Hermoso said.

President Rodrigo Duterte has earlier approved the establishment of the “Peace Corridor” after top officials of the MILF offered assistance to address the humanitarian crisis as the armed conflict rages in Marawi City.

Both the government and the MILF are using their 12-year old peace mechanisms to carry out the peace corridor.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/994286