COTABATO CITY — The humanitarian team of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has distributed relief goods and food packs to some 11,500 families or about 57,500 individuals displaced by armed conflict and floods in Maguindanao.
Myrna Jo Henry, speaking for ARMM’s Humanitarian Emergency Action Response Team (ARMM-HEART), said the relief goods were turned over Thursday and Friday to at least nine local government units (LGUs) affected by both calamities.
“The local government relief workers have started distributing the supplementary assistance,” Henry said, adding that the LGUs are the first responders and that ARMM-HEART only supports them.
The affected families fled to safer grounds when government forces recently launched air and ground assaults against Islamic State-linked Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in the towns of Shariff Aguak, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Datu Salibo, Mamasapano, and Datu Paglas, all in Maguindanao’s second district.
Fighting erupted on July 1 and military operations are continuing in the interiors of Maguindanao, particularly at the 220-hectare Liguasan marshland being used as hiding place by the terror group with its tall grasses and intricate waterways.
Civilians also fled to safer grounds when the water level of the Liguasan marsh rose to waist-deep high in several communities.
Latest ARMM-HEART monitoring reports indicated that eight villages in Datu Salibo, 12 in Sultan sa Barongis, 11 in Rajah Buayan, four in Paglat, seven in Buluan, and six in Mamasapano were under water for almost two weeks now due to inclement weather affecting the province.
Henry said soldiers from the Army’s 6th Infantry Division were also sent to assist families displaced by floods. (Noel Punzalan and Edwin Fernandez/PNA)
