Gov’t, MILF-led rescue of trapped civilians in Marawi temporarily halted after emissary became sick

June 8, 2017

The rescue of more trapped civilians in conflict-torn Marawi City through joint efforts of the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front was suspended temporarily after their emissary became sick, a government peace official said on Thursday. "As for the peace corridor in Marawi, we are awaiting arrangements because the emissary that we had --- who was going between the Maute group as well as the military has taken ill," said Irene Santiago, chair of the Government of the Philippines implementing panel for Bangsamoro Accords. The emissary, who is a religious leader, has to recuperate first, she said. "And so we are awaiting for him to get a little better. And we hope that we will be able to then resume our activities in trying to get trapped civilians out," Santiago said. President Rodrigo Duterte has earlier approved the establishment of the “Peace Corridor” after the top officials of the MILF offered assistance to address the humanitarian crisis following the armed conflict in Marawi. On Sunday, the government and the MILF, through its Joint Coordinating, Monitoring and Assistance Centre, was able to rescue 134 civilians after the parties were able to convince the military and the Maute group to agree to a four-hour ceasefire. Santiago said there is a possibility the government and the MILF would open a third corridor in the area around Lake Lanao where many internally displaced persons have gone. "And there is a rising food crisis. One sack of rice is now P5,000. So it is important that we secure the passageway around the lake, so that we can bring food assistance in and we can bring food prices down," she said. The first peace corridor is the one where the trapped civilians passed through last Sunday. The second corridor, which was opened last Wednesday between Malabang, Lanao del Sur and Marawi City, was the one where several organizations and groups have been able to send food, medicines and other humanitarian aid. (Celerina Monte/DMS)