RIC CLET
Online news contributor
BUTIG, LANAO DEL SUR: Mayor Dimnatang “Jimmy” Pansar said there will be no evacuation from his town, disputing rumors fighting between the government forces and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) would erupt anytime as a result of the Basilan incident.
“I categorically denied that there is an evacuation in my town, being the mayor, I should know,” he disclosed.
Earlier, Billy dela Rosa, manager of Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) said in a press conference in Iligan City over the weekend that he received from a text message that residents of Butig and Lumbayanague were evacuated.
Pansar said there are residents who transferred their valuable things to a safer place away from Butig in case trouble will erupt. He appealed to his constituents to continue their daily activities and to ignore thinking about any impending war.
Also, in a separate interview, School Superintendent Arimao Asum, father and consultant of the newly elected mayor of Lumbayanague said that there was no truth to the rumors of their residents evacuating their town.
“There is no reason to be alarmed,” Arimao said.
As this developed, truckloads of military men from the 4th Infantry Division arrived in Marawi City to secure some vital government installations and to position for possible threat from the MILF.
Last week, amateur radio clubs and non-government organizations held a prayer rally in Marawi City and Lanao del Sur opposing the government’s impending all out war against the Muslim rebel group.
In a statement, the group stated that the Bangsamoro problem in Mindanao could never be solved through military means; the only means to address [this] problem is to resume the present deadlocked GRP-MILF peace talks as soon as possible; that the tragic incident in Basilan could not have happened had the AFP made prior coordination with the MILF.
“We strongly condemn the mutilation of the corpses of the dead marine soldiers in the same was as the killing and desecration of the corpses of a Muslim Imam in the said incident; that the GRP-MILF restrain from their forces on the ground from making any move and refrain from any provocative pronouncements that will preempt the result of the on-going investigation,” it said.
In conclusion, the statement said that they are strongly calling on the Philippines Government to stop this insensible all out war approach which will only scuttle the gains of the peace process and victimize the poor Bangsamoro civilians.