Zamboanga evacuees now at least 62,000

MANILA, Philippines (3rd UPDATE) – The unresolved Zamboanga siege has resulted in the displacement of over 62,000 residents forced to flee their homes for fear of their lives.

As of 11 am Saturday, September 14, the incursion by Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) rebels — now on its 6th day — has resulted in 62,329 evacuees, Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman said.

At least 44,472 are seeking shelter at the Zamboanga Sports Complex. It is the same sports complex where at least 50,000 showed up during the presidential sortie of Benigno Aquino III in 2010. That Zamboanga sortie had perhaps the largest turnout for Aquino when he was seeking the presidency.

More than 3 years later, it is temporary home to over 40,000 evacuees.

Earlier in the day, President Aquino visited evacuees in the Joaquin Enriquez Sports Complex to assure them government is close to resolving the conflict. 

READ: PNoy to Zambo refugees: You are not alone

Soliman said at least 3,705 families are also in 18 evacuation centers, fleeing conflict areas. 

‘Constricted’

This, even as Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas said the incursion has been “constricted” (given reduced operating space), and not just contained.

He added that it is, in fact, “being cleared,” with roads opened up and secured for the safety of emergency first responders.

Armed Forces spokesman Lt Col Ramon Zagala reiterated they have received no orders for a ceasefire. Operations are still ongoing. 

In an earlier interview with Rappler, Zagala said, “We continue our calibrated operations because the Misuari faction continues their attacks and they endanger the lives of civilians. They continue to burn houses so we responded accordingly.”

READ: Gazmin: No Zamboanga ceasefire

The ongoing firefight between government and MNLF rebels has resulted in the deaths of at least 51. On the government side, 5 have died and 49 are wounded. 28 civilians have also been wounded by the fighting, while 3 have been killed, Zagala said.

An AFP report, quoting Zagala, later pegged the number of dead at 53 — 43 of them rebels, 6 from military and police forces, and 4 civilians.

Roxas brushed aside questions about politics getting in the way of resolving the 6-day conflict. Earlier, Vice President Jejomar Binay said that Moro National Liberation Front founder Nur Misuari and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin had agreed to a ceasefire. This was later denied.

Binay arrived in Zamboanga and joined a lunch meeting with President Aquino and Roxas, along with security officials at the Western Mindanao Command. Binay was also briefed separately.

In a statement released Saturday evening, Binay’s spokesman Joey Salgado said, “The Vice President is sad that his efforts to secure the release of the hostages in Zamboanga City did not prosper. Both the MNLF and the Philippine government wanted peace, but there were terms set that were not acceptable. The  Vice President asks everyone to pray for the safety of the hostages and for peace in Zamboanga City.”

Roxas said the Zamboanga airport will have to remain closed because helicopters securing President Benigno Aquino III were fired upon between 10 and 11 am.

“Patuloy na manunumbalik sa normal ang takbo ng pangangalakal at buhay dito sa Zamboanga City,” Roxas said. (Life and business will continue to return to normal here in Zamboanga City.)

Food for evacuees, government forces

Trauma and stress debriefings are being handled by the Department of Health. Evacuees were said to be missing their telenovelas that is why the Department of Social Welfare and Development is thinking of bringing television sets into the evacuation centers.

Rolling stores of the National Food Authority are going around the city to deliver rice to residents. Supply is good for at least 40 days.

Soliman said supplementary feeding will start tomorrow, Sunday, in daycare centers run by NGOs. This will be for pregnant and lactating women, as well as children. 

Also tomorrow, cooking stations in barangays affected by the conflict, will be set up. Thus far, everybody is being fed 3 meals a day, she added.

Soliman also said they have started to list families whose houses were burnt, and who must be assisted because they have no capacity to rebuild. “We will be working closely with the city government in terms of the rebuilding in safe places, done in a more organized manner because some of these are informal settlers.” 

Meanwhile, Roxas clarified reports of food shortages for soldiers and police. He said government forces get enough food from their own allowance, the local government, and other groups.

Call for strength

Zamboanga City Mayor Maria Isabelle “Beng” Climaco-Salazar said in an earlier press conference, “I call on our people to remain united and strong. This is not an issue of religion. This is an issue of people with misguided principles.”

Looking tired and sleepless, she also said, “Our heart goes out to the helpless hostages just as we sympathize with families of soldiers and cops who perished.”

The image of Zamboanga that the city government has painstakingly retored “instantly vanished,” Salazar said. – with reports from Carmela Fonbuena/Rappler.com