Civilian authorities inspect conflict-hit Zambo areas

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - Fallen concrete walls, twisted sheets of metals and bars, charred wooden poles and stilts, obliterated clusters of houses peppered with bullet holes welcomed the group of civilian authorities as they entered the conflict-devastated district for the first time to conduct an inspection of the place and to plan its rehabilitation.

Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar, chair of the local crisis management committee (CMC),  led the inspection on the site in preparation for the return of home owners through a phase-in scheme.

Salazar and most of the civilian leaders and village officials and representatives, who went along with the inspection, were visibly shocked by the ghostly places that were once lively communities before the Sept. 9 siege of the  Nur Misuari faction of the  Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) reduced the four barangays into rubbles and ashes.

The barangays of Rio Hondo, Mariki, Sta. Barbara, and Sta. Catalina, have been restricted from the civilians since the 22 days of  stand off until the full clearing operation was completed Tuesday by the Task Force Suyud.

Police Director Carmelo Valmoria, Task Force Suyud commander,  said his men have checked on all areas covering around 40 hectares of densely populated barangays and cleared the place of dozens of unexploded ordnance and remains of rebels after more than three weeks of operation.

“Although, we can not certainly say 100 percent because there are swampy and flooded areas,  but the clearing operation is over,” according to Valmoria who joined Salazar in the ocular.

Valmoria said the Task Force Zamboanga took over the control of the security of the area while the CMC has started to begin the rehabilitation phase.

Col. Andrelino Colina, chief of Task Force Zamboanga (TFZ), said security presence is still needed in the areas to secure the properties left by the civilians.

Salazar said the phase-in process will be implemented block by block to avoid chaos from among the displaced residents who wanted to go back to their places to salvage whatever was left.

This after hundreds of the evacuees marched Tuesday and tried to force entry into the conflict-hit villages amidst fear from looting and apprehensions they would might lose place when the area place would be opened to the civilians again.

“We cannot allow the thousands of affected residents and homeowners to  be here] all at the same time. That’s why we have to make the ocular  so we would know what are the plans to do,” Salazar said.

The mayor also explained during a dialogue with the barangay leaders that while her leadership wants the residents to return to whatever are left of their houses and places, however, there are processes and guidelines to be followed for security purposes and for an orderly phase-in.

She said part of the scheme is the phase-in in coordination with the technical working group (TWG) spearheaded by the city administrator, housing division and the city assessor that will determine who are the legitimate property owners.