Nightmare on Eid: A father loses his daughters to conflict

 

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – “Noong Eid, nagkaroon ng bombahan, hindi na kami nakapagsaya dahil namatay ang mga anak ko at tinamaan ang mga sibilyan,” said Said Tambak, 43, a resident of Barangay Kitango and father of the two children slain by mortar shelling on May 24.

(During ‘Eid, bombs went off and we weren’t able to celebrate the festivities anymore because my kids died and some civilians were hit.)

This barangay, situated in the middle of Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao, is now clouded with uncertainty.

Residents said they felt like they were in limbo – wondering if their lives would go back to normal after the incident.

It’s not yet clear who was behind the bombing. Residents recalled that a clash between the Philippine Army and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters had been going on since May 21. Major Arvin Encinas, spokesperson of the military’s Western Mindanao Command, said that there were sightings of BIFF in the area on the day the sisters were killed.

He said an investigation was launched to identify whether the mortar belongs to the military and gave assurances that “appropriate sanctions will be imposed once we know who caused the death of the two minors.”  

A seemingly normal day

On normal days, Barangay Kitango’s children come out to play in the streets during the afternoon when the heat has dissipated.

On school days, while the parents are farming, children spend their mornings in school.

When COVID-19 led to nationwide lockdowns, it seemed to Said that the quarantine measures were somewhat a blessing in disguise as it gave him more time to spend with his family.

He had 3 children: Aslamiya, 10; Asnaida, 7; and Norsaid, 5.

“Matalinong bata si Aslamiya. Kapag tinatanong ko siya kung anong pangarap niya, sinasabi niya sa akin na gusto niyang maging doktor dahil gusto niyang tumulong sa gobyerno na gamutin ang mahihirap (Aslamiya was a smart child. I always ask her what she wants to become when she grows up. She wanted to be a doctor because she wants to help the government in serving the poor),” said Said. 

Asnaida, on the other hand, stopped attending school because she was sickly.

“Mahilig siyang maglaro. Minsan kapag hihiramin siya sa amin ng mga auntie niya, hindi ako pumapayag kasi nag-iingat ako dahil sakitin siya (She is a playful girl. Her aunts would sometimes borrow her from us, but I’ve always been protective of her because of her situation),” shared Said.

Seeing his family complete always made him happier.

When the Holy Month of Ramadan came, mosques were ordered closed. Said, as a volunteer in their community, is a “frontliner.”

“But I always spend the nights praying with my family inside our home,” he said.

Said shared what he has always been praying for during Ramadan: “Ang hinihiling ko lang ay sana maging maayos ang pamilya namin. Mabuhay nang maayos at walang mangyaring masama (My only wish is for our family’s well-being. To live well and that nothing bad will happen.)”

Nightmare

A joyous occasion for Muslims around the world turned out to be the worst day of Said’s life. 

He never realized that the festive day would be the last time he would see their children alive. 

“Mortar shelling ‘yung tumama sa pamilya ko; sa mga anak ko. Tinamaan ‘yung asawa ko. Tatlo ang anak ko, dalawa ‘yung namatay Mortar shelling hit my family; my kids. My wife was also hit. I have 3 kids, 2 of them died),” he said.

Following the basic health protocol during this pandemic, the girls had stayed home to be safe. They were playing in their backyard while their mother, Noraisa, was inside the house. As soon as she heard an explosion, her maternal instincts kicked in. 

Noraisa rushed towards their daughters.

But she did not make it in time. 

Another mortar landed in their backyard. Their daughters were hit by shards from the mortar, killing them.

Noraisa and their son were also hit but they survived.

Said did not expect to come home to the lifeless bodies of their children. 

As soon as he sat down for the interview on Monday, June 1, Said repeatedly said, “81 mortar shelling, 81 mortal shelling. Hustisya (justice)!” pertaining to the 81-mm mortar projectile which killed his daughters.

As Noraisa was recovering at a hospital, Said could not bring himself to tell her that their daughters were gone.

Whenever she asked how their daughters were doing, he would tell her they were also being treated.

“Hindi ko masabi ang totoo kasi baka mas lalong maging masama para sa kanya (I could not tell her the truth because it might cause her more harm.),” he said.

But he could not hide the painful truth for long.

Call for justice

The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) government condemned the violence.

“This violence committed against hapless civilians is totally inhumane and evil, occurring as it did on what is supposed to be a festive day of Eid’l Fitr. It also compounds the present difficulties of our people as they struggle through with the COVID-19 pandemic. Only the heartless criminals can commit such a wicked act,” the transition government said in a statement. 

BARMM Executive Secretary Abdulraof Macacua said, “They were killed by the mortar shelling of those who were supposed to know what they were doing – experts and experienced individuals.”

BARMM Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim has urged the Regional Human Rights Commission (RHRC) to conduct an investigation.

“The Bangsamoro Government shall do everything possible in securing justice for the victims of this senseless tragedy,” he said. 

Different posters calling for justice for the two girls can be found on the walls of the houses that surround the site of the killing. 

The relatives of Aslamiya and Asnaida are calling for justice.

Said, holding back tears, said: “Ang sigaw ng pamilya ko: Hustisya! Hustisya! Sana matikman ko ang hustisya ng pamilya ko. Iningatan ko na hindi sila lumabas para hindi sila magkasakit. Wala silang sakit ngayon, pero ang ikakamatay pala nila ay ‘yung mortal shelling.”

(My family’s demand: Justice! Justice! I hope that I can have justice for my family. I made sure they didn’t go out so that they wouldn’t get sick. They didn’t get sick, but they were killed by mortar shelling.)

“Nananawagan ako sa kung sino man ang makarinig ng storya ko na sana mabigyan kami ng hustisya na hindi haka-haka lang. Dahil ba maliliit na tao lang kami, hindi sa amin ibibigay ang hustisya (I’m appealing to those who hear of my story that I hope we be served true justice, not a pyrrhic victory. Won’t we be given justice just because we’re ordinary people)?” he said. 

“May iba pang mga namatay noon na bata dito na hindi pa nabigyan ng hustisya (There were other kids here who died too but have yet to get justice),” he added.

The incident was not the first time a minor was caught in the crossfire in Datu Saudi Ampatuan. In August 2012, a 4-year old girl by the name of Asmayra Usman was killed by a stray bullet while sleeping inside their tent at an evacuation camp in Barangay Salbu of the same municipality.

The situation in Barangay Kitango may be up in the air for now, but for the father of Aslamiya and Asnaida, one thing is certain: He lost his children, and he is seeking justice. 

“Lahat ng tao mamamatay pero hindi sa pamamagitan ng mortar shelling kung saan ‘yun ang pumatay sa dalawa kong anak (Everyone dies but not through mortal shelling which killed two of my kids),” said the bereaved father. – Rappler.com