Philippine Daily Inquirer

2 KINDS OF PEACE CORRIDORS BEING SET UP IN MARAWI CITY

- By Philip C. Tubeza

One corridor for the living and the dead. Another for aid.

Irene M. Santiago, newly appointed head of the initiative, said there are now two kinds of peace corridors in Marawi City—one for rescued civilians and passage of corpses and the other for humanitari­an aid.

Santiago, who also chairs the government’s implementi­ng panel for Bangsamoro accords, said it was possible the peace corridors may be used by terrorists but there had been no evidence on this.

She said several groups had already sent food, medicines and other aid to residents trapped in Marawi.

Humanitari­an teams used the peace corridor to send aid to civilians displaced by the siege who fled to the towns of Malabang, Madamba, Bubong, Masiu, Marantao and DitsaanRam­ain in Lanao del Sur, said a statement from the govern- ment-Moro Islamic Liberation Front peace implementi­ng panels.

Several organizati­ons deployed vans and trucks carrying food, medicines and other aid.

The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Regional Command Center facilitate­d the deployment of doctors and supplies from the Internatio­nal Committee on the Red Cross in Ganassi, Lanao del Sur.

The United Bangsamoro Humanitari­an Assistance distribute­d food aid to the municipali­ties around Lake Lanao while the Bangsamoro Developmen­t Agency of the MILF also coordinate­d the movement of humanitari­an aid.

President Duterte approved the creation of the peace corridor to ensure safe and secure passage for the elderly, women, men and children fleeing the crisis in Marawi and to establish a secure route for humanitari­an assistance.

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