Thoughts on ‘liberated’ Marawi

THERE are mixed reactions over the news that Hapilon and Maute are dead that ended the fivemonth-long battle in Marawi. Over at social media, the virtual world was mostly filled with praises to soldiers and jeers to the two “terrorists”, as photos of the dead were shared. For the virtual world residents, who mostly come from the comfort of cities and gadgetry, the world is made safe and peaceful.

But over at the real world, in evacuation centers and the peripheries of Marawi, there is still uncertainty over those words “peace” and “safe”. Some 60,000 families and over 300,000 residents of Marawi are still uncertain as to how to move forward.

The irony that as President Duterte, the generals, and the president’s supporters raised vic- tory and declared Marawi as “liberated”, no such words come the very people of Marawi. Instead, as one looks and listen to the words and thoughts of Maranaos, residents of

sultation time because the disadvantaged tenants sought the assistance of one of the city councilors.

That consultation itself was very telling of the people who seek reprieve for injustice. We all sat there with Mayor Domogan, we were the victims trying to make sense of the shameless acts of Emingan and Mrs Keryao, his cohort. In that consultation, Mayor wanted to hear both sides and finally we all agreed to a self-demolition so that the sub tenants will be able to save their furniture and the structures they build on our property. We found out that Bonifacio Emingan amassed close to two million by collecting from the tenants but not paying us his lease. My heart bled as I see the injustice of this all and yet we have to be firm in affirming the implementation of law and order. Mixed emotions always come with the memory of this incident in my life. I have to be firm in saying that it is enough - “we will honor their words that they will demolish, no need for another letter of mayor giving them permission to use the property and demolish on their

Marawi and Moro leaders, theirs is a voice of uncertainty, a mixture of relief and sadness over the things that happened to their land and home.

Robert Maulana Alonto from the peace panel of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front rightfully states in an essay that there is no praise for the deaths of Hapilon and Maute. He contrasts this to the death of their founding leader Hashim Salamat, who was mourned by the Moro people as a revolutionary remembered who fought for the land and self-determination, a struggle not like the extreme and twisted ideas of Islam espoused by ISIS. SSDavao own. To me it is enough that they promised to demolish and we will be there to watch them.” I told them “we cannot again use Mayor to be stamp for the lapses that has already been done, let us take care of the mess and let’s move on.” So they were able to demolish the illegal structures peacefully and that experience brought us closer – victims of scrupulous deceiving vultures of a sick society. After the demolition, they were expecting me to file cases to Emingan and Keryao. But circumstances did not permit that, and I still have reservations of battling in the courts.

After a yearlong absence I am still faced with the problem of building anew. At times I wonder if only my heart was made harder and sued them after, maybe I would have money to build a new building. Maybe if I sued everybody who was party to the illegal structure, maybe no one will attempt to squat in the property.

It is a tricky one, but at the end decisions are made based on the spiritual, moral and legal obligation of decision makers.

Philian/October 2017

dagiti terorista. Kinapudnona, mangipasdekda gayamen iti kampoda dita Marawi tapno mabantayandan daytoy. Iti report, adda 359,680 ti evacuees. Sapay koma ta masagat a naimbag iti inda panagsubli kas pangarigan malpaston ti rehab. Kunada ngarud, dagiti laeng pudpudno a residents nga apektado ti rumbeng a makasubli ken maipaayan iti tulong. Mabalin a napapatay aminen dagiti tropa ti Maute-ISIS. Ngem sadino itan ti ayan dagiti timmulong kadakuada (financially, droga, makan, armas ken dadduma pay)? Saan aya nga adda sungsungbatanda a nadagsen iti linteg iti inaramidda? Malagiptayo nga adda idi nakuna ti administrasyon a saan a nakastrek dagiti terorista idiay Marawi no awan tattao a simmuporta kadakuada? Saan a nakastrek dagiti armas dagiti terorista no awan nangpalubos a residents, saan aya? Dayta ti rumbeng a tamingen ita ti Duterte Administration. No saan a mariput ken madusa dagiti timmulong kadagiti Maute...mabalindanto manen ti mang-finance iti sabali manen a grupo a mangriribuk dita Mindanao. Arasaas: mapulbosda koma aminen tapno agtalnan ti pagilian. Adios mi amor, ciao, mabalos!