COTABATO CITY(October 9) — A firefight Thursday afternoon forced about 350 families to flee their homes in Sultan sa Barongis, Maguindanao del Sur, with residents from four sitios seeking safety as the fighting erupted in their community.
The clash broke out in Sitio Libal, Barangay Kulambog, between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front-Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (MILF-BIAF) and an unidentified armed group.
Residents of Sitios Libal, Silungan, Dundungen and Kimalong immediately evacuated for fear of being caught in the crossfire and were temporarily sheltered at Gadungan Elementary School in Barangay Gadungan.
The Thursday evacuation followed several days of rising tension in the area. Lt. Col. Ronald Suscano, spokesperson for the 6th Infantry Division, said some residents had already started leaving their homes on Tuesday as tensions escalated.
The earlier departures, however, should be distinguished from the larger evacuation that followed Thursday’s firefight, which brought the number of displaced families to about 350.
The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), acting on the directive of Sultan sa Barongis Mayor Allandatu Angas Sr., conducted an on-site assessment with personnel from the 34th Infantry Battalionto determine the impact of the fighting, assess security conditions and identify the immediate needs of displaced families.
The MDRRMO has also distributed food packs to the evacuees.
For families who depend on their homes, farms and other sources of livelihood, the sudden evacuation means more than finding a temporary place to stay.
“We are appealing to all concerned authorities to resolve this problem as soon as possible. Civilians are really suffering, especially since we are already facing a crisis,” said a resident identified only as Hijra.
“People are being forced to evacuate. Instead of focusing on their livelihood, they are now worried about what might happen to them,” Hijra said.
The local government and the 34th IB are holding meetings and negotiations aimed at stopping the fighting and preventing further displacement.
Security forces and local authorities continued to monitor the situation Thursday.
For the displaced families, the immediate concern is when they can safely return home and resume their livelihoods.
Until the fighting is resolved, hundreds of civilians remain caught in the uncertainty — their homes inaccessible, their livelihoods disrupted and their return dependent on whether the guns fall silent.
