Thousands of Marawi evacuees return home

AT least 4,000 evacuees returned to their homes Sunday, five months after the Maute group seized strategic areas in Marawi City, forcing hundreds of thou

Col. Romeo Brawner Jr., deputy commander of Joint Task Group Ranao, said kilometers away from the main battle area, were back in their homes. However, he said the military will continue to enforce strict measures, including the issuance of special passes, to ensure that no member of the terror group will mix with the residents.

The returning evacuees were taken to their communities on board 200 vehicles.

“Those that we have allowed to enter Marawi City are residents of Basak Malutlut [village only],” Brawner told reporters in an interview in Marawi City.

“[Our measures are still] very strict they were restricted to their barangays but we will be giving them special passes for them to be allowed to go to the Mindanao State University. For instance, to buy goods in the market,” he added.

In August, the Mindanao State University reopened classes amid the ongoing clashes.

Last week, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and former Armed Forces chief Gen. Eduardo Año announced the termination of combat operations after defeating the remaining Maute members.

Brawner said a curfew will be imposed in Basak Malutlut village.

“When it comes to the curfew, the PNP (Philippine National Police) will be the one to implement the curfew in the area,” he said.

Sr. Supt. John Guyguyon, the chief of

said the curfew is to protect the returning evacuees.

“It is not because we are restricting the movement of the residents within Basak Malutlut but we just want everyone to be safe,” Guyguyon told reporters.

He added that government forces will not be entering the residences of the Maranao evacu- ees who have just returned to their households.

The imposition of curfew, he added, will also prevent Maute sympathizers from gaining entry.

The military had set up checkpoints around Marawi’s border to prevent the entrance of Maute members or their sympathizers.