Military reopens Davao-Cotabato highway
MANILA, Philippines – The military reopened at 1:30 p.m. on Monday the national highway linking Cotabato and Davao Cities after gunfire exchanges have temporarily ceased between government troops and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels.
According to Romy Elusfa of GMA News, the road, which was closed from 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, was reopened at 6 a.m. Monday but closed again at 6:30 a.m.
"It had to be closed again as alleged rebels of the MILF have positioned themselves along the highway in the village of Dalingawen and engaged Civilian Volunteer Organization members in a brief exchange of gunfire,” Elusfa said.
Elusfa added that an estimated 22,000 evacuees from Pikit and Aleosan were also rushed to safer grounds to avoid being caught in the crossfire of the warring troops.
The evacuees were accommodated at the gymnasium of the Immaculate Conception Parish in Pikit and a warehouse in Buisan, while some of them took refuge in relatives' houses as many others were just along the roads under the cow-pulled carts loaded with their belongings.
Of the 22,000 evacuees, 5,000 are from neighboring Barangays Tapudok and Langayen of Aleosan. The rest came from Silik, Pamalian, Bualan, Kulambog, Katilacan Pagangan, Manaulanan, Lagundi, Nalapaan, Dalingawen and Kalakakan of this municipality, according to Elsufan.
Rexall Kaalim, coordinator of the Bantay Ceasefire, whose group had been facilitating the safe evacuation of civilians, called up the Parish of Pikit and the Local Government Unit at around 10 a.m. to send vehicles to ferry the evacuees from the Takepan Elementary School to any of the evacuation centers at the town center of Pikit.
"We will not leave the civilians until they are already safe," Kaaliim said. "It is difficult to allow them to stay here (Takepan Elementary School) because the bullets are reaching the school building." -
According to Romy Elusfa of GMA News, the road, which was closed from 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, was reopened at 6 a.m. Monday but closed again at 6:30 a.m.
"It had to be closed again as alleged rebels of the MILF have positioned themselves along the highway in the village of Dalingawen and engaged Civilian Volunteer Organization members in a brief exchange of gunfire,” Elusfa said.
Elusfa added that an estimated 22,000 evacuees from Pikit and Aleosan were also rushed to safer grounds to avoid being caught in the crossfire of the warring troops.
The evacuees were accommodated at the gymnasium of the Immaculate Conception Parish in Pikit and a warehouse in Buisan, while some of them took refuge in relatives' houses as many others were just along the roads under the cow-pulled carts loaded with their belongings.
Of the 22,000 evacuees, 5,000 are from neighboring Barangays Tapudok and Langayen of Aleosan. The rest came from Silik, Pamalian, Bualan, Kulambog, Katilacan Pagangan, Manaulanan, Lagundi, Nalapaan, Dalingawen and Kalakakan of this municipality, according to Elsufan.
Rexall Kaalim, coordinator of the Bantay Ceasefire, whose group had been facilitating the safe evacuation of civilians, called up the Parish of Pikit and the Local Government Unit at around 10 a.m. to send vehicles to ferry the evacuees from the Takepan Elementary School to any of the evacuation centers at the town center of Pikit.
"We will not leave the civilians until they are already safe," Kaaliim said. "It is difficult to allow them to stay here (Takepan Elementary School) because the bullets are reaching the school building." -
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