Inday Sara wants Marawi war refugees to stay in Davao while rehab is ongoing

DAVAO CITY - Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-carpio said she wants was refugees from the war-ravaged Marawi City to stay here until it is safe to return home and while government rehabilitation efforts are completed.

“Sa pagka-karon, wala pay na put-up nga infrastructure, I don’t think duna sila’y livelihood pagbalik nila didto (For now, no infrastructure is being established there, I don’t think they will have a livelihood if they return home),” she said.

Carpio said the City Government will coordi- nate with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to arrange their return as soon as police and military authorities allow the evacuees to return to Marawi.

“The same way nga giassist sa pagsulod nila, i-assist usab sila pagbalik nila (The same way that if we assisted them when they come here in the city, we will also assist them when they go back),”she said, adding, the City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO) has already discouraged some evacuees from going back home, not just yet.

Davao City has nearly 500 refugees. Carpio urged them to temporarily stay here until it is safe to return to their homes, saying, security forces are still clearing Marawi of booby traps and improvised explosives left behind by local ISIS militants who occupied the city on May 23. Fighting ended just last week.

“We do not think that Marawi is the place that can accommodate them as of this time,” Carpio said.