CSOs and Sultans of Marawi calling for ceasefire for civilian protection

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Video File: Sequence of speakers, BTC Commissioner Samira Gutoc, Moderator; Abel Moya; Binladen Sharief; Sultan Hamidullah Atar; Sultan Atty. Nasrollah Conding; Atty. Khalid Ansano

Iligan City (By Jun Enriquez) - A media briefing in Iligan City the other day was called by the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) convened by Mr. Ding Cali, Executive Director of the Kalimudan Foundation, inc. based in Marawi City and the five Sultans of Marawi calling for the unconditional ceasefire to give room for peace for the welfare of the innocent civilians.

Sultan Hamidullah Atar, the Sultan of Marawi said Hundreds of non-Muslims were trapped in Marawi since the Maute siege Marawi started in May 23, 2017. He said the victims have a slim chance to go out of Marawi City. the five Sultans and the Civil Society groups are calling to push for a negotiation, to retrieve dead bodies died in the crossfire especially the Muslims because in Muslim rites for the dead bodies will be buried within 24 hours. Sultan Atar also urged to stop the search in the houses of the civilians because it’s not fair for the civilians that the government forces will get inside their houses to search for the Maute members. He said there is no other solution on the dilemma except for negotiation.

Sultan Atar was in Butig to talk to the Maute group. Butig is a small town of Lanao del Sur, the place of the Maute. He said if no negotiation will be opened for the Maute group the damages will be more severe. The traditional leaders of Marawi are calling to open a space for negotiation. He said the Maute have taken at least 20 hostages and they wanted to have exchange of prisoners, will be an issue to be raised in the negotiation. The plan is to include a negotiation period for 4-5 days. The Maranaw always remind the treasure and value of humanity. The calling is to stop air strike and open a space for negotiation.

Sultan Nasrollah Bin Muhammad Siddiq Bacarat Conding of Bacolod Marawi that on May 24, 2017 they advised their people to evacuate from their places because airstrike and bombings is expected to follow to neutralize Maute group or called themselves ISIS. The Five Sultans of Marawi and the CSOs have aborted their plan to stage interfaith prayer rally for peace in Iligan City public plaza on June 1, 2017 due to security concerns per advised by the military.

Commissioner Samira Gutoc, also a resident of Marawi City and member of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) of the Philippine Governmentand Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), expressed concerns for the welfare of the evacuees. She said there is an estimated 20,000 evacuees in Iligan City, 32 kilometers North of Marawi City. The Emergency response from Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) accounted 47,000 evacuees for the regional level.

The Mindanao Emergency Response Network (MERN) – Ranaw Bay, through Tina Lomoljo, Lead convener, have recorded the internally displaced Peoples (IDPs) from Marawi City with 1,550 families and this is still increasing including home based IDPs.

Commissioner Gutoc said the Ranaw rescue team recorded 30 casualties from various places in Marawi city and dozens of people stranded. There were reports that there are five women and children trapped in a house and 12 persons in another house. In celebrating the Holy Month of Ramadan she extends her thanks for the support from brother Christians. She said the victims' voice must be heard. The rule of law despite martial law still applies.

Mr. Abel Moya, of the Civil Society Organization Forum for Peace (CSO-FP) said they supports the CSOs in Marawi, Lanao del Sur and Lanao del  and calling for the supremacy of civilian protection to save lives and properties.

Binladen Sharief, the former member of the Local monitoring team (LMT) of the ceasefire mechanism between the Government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace process, missing for several days in time of the conflict was able to reach out the Maute group and talk to them not to continue their plan to siege Marawi City. Instead, the Maute made an advise to the people to evacuate because they will launch an attack in Marawi City. He said he was in the area of the Maute for 3 days prior to the Marawi incident. He also confirmed his friend Fr. Chito Suganub, a Catholic priest was alive together with other hostages. Sharief was known to the Maute because he is a former member of the local Monitoring team of the MILF.

Commissioner Gutoc appealed to the Maute group not to harm Fr. Chito and any non-Muslims in their possession. She said the President pronounced “let’s talk” but shelling still continued. Barangay Marinaut is under fire the most shelling area. She said they cannot reach out to rescue the trapped civilians in the area because the military will not allow. She said the rescuers are willing to enter the area and comply wearing white shirts.

The Ulama sector expressed concerns to stop the air strike and military operation to rescue the victim civilians and retrieval of the dead bodies inside the conflict zone because dead bodies that are not buried is haram.

Commissioner Gutoc reminded the Military of pursuing the alleged Maute group inside the houses will not discount the rights of the civilians to privacy and deserves protection. They consulted in a meeting with the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Commission on Human Rights, Regional Human Rights Commission (RHRC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to prevail civilian protection.

Atty. Khalid Ansano rescuers were not allowed to get inside Marawi City to rescue the civilians because those who are inside the conflict area are considered enemy. In this premise it’s very difficult to enter the area and plenty of the civilians were trapped. He is calling both parties for unconditional ceasefire to give ample time to rescue the trapped civilians and create room for negotiations. He said no winner in war all are losers.  

They finally came up with a statement urging the government to stop military operations and give time for the rescue and humanitarian operations in the conflict zone of Marawi City.

Presently the government continued military operation in Marawi City in compliance to the order of President Duterte to the local terrorist group “surrender or die”.

In recent development, Atty. Franklin Quijano, one of the peace consultants of the government under the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) said a peace corridor is created to implement a truce for two hours will be observed anytime of the day on June 3, 2017, to give room for dialogue with the civil society organizations. The four-man team of Government panel for the Peace corridor is headed by Assistant Secretary Hermoso of the OPAPP. The dialogue will be bridged by the Civil Society organizations especially from Lanao del Sur and Marawi City. The CSOs will be the one to relay the information to the Maute group and will give feedback to Government panel.

In the conflict zone of Marawi City, the rescue teams were already allowed to enter inside Marawi City to retrieve dead bodies and rescue number of people trapped numbering to at least 163 individuals during the period of the conflict. During the rescue operation nothing heard any gunfire while rescue operations going on. 

On May 31, 2017, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) air strikes killed 11 soldiers and wounded 10 other soldiers due to miscommunication from the ground troops to pilot in command. There were 4 soldiers from the 15^th Infantry “Molave Warrior” Battalion and 7 soldiers from 44^th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army Spearhead troopers were killed after the Philippine Air Force fighter jet accidentally hit the ground troops in Marawi City. 

Despite the ongoing conflict in Marawi City, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) was able to energize the transmission line providing power to the Mindanao State University (MSU) main campus, Marawi City. The restoration activity was completed without any incident. The energized line is directly connected to the MSU main campus and receives power from the Mindanao grid. The NGCP commended their crew linemen who conducted repairs amidst audible gunfire. The NGCP also extends their thanks and appreciation to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for providing security while line patrols and repairs were being conducted. With reports from Michael Navarro; Beth Ladaga, PIO, NGCP; Video file: Forum4Peace.tv.