ARMED CONFLICT BETWEEN PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE SPECIAL ACTION FORCE AND ARMED GROUPS ERUPTS IN MAMASAPANO
BACKGROUND Due to the continued tension between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), since 9 Feb-ruary 2015, again a firefight has erupted between these groups at around 5:00 pm on Saturday, 13 February 2015 in the Barangays Buliok and Kalbugan, Pagalungan, Maguindanao Province. The conflict has affected thousands of civilians from the villages of Buliok, Kalbugan and Bagoinged, Pagalungan, Maguindanao, where internally displaced per-sons continue to flee their homes to avoid being caught in a cross fire. The table on the right side and the map above show the municipalities affected by the conflict and the number of families and individuals that have been affected. According to ARMM HEART (7 March 2015) overall, 12,920 families or 64,600 individuals have been affected in 11 municipal-ities, in Central Mindanao.
References: Sitrep 12 ARMM HEART Joint Law Enforcement against Lawless Elements in Maguindanao, 07 March 2015
IOM IN COTABATO Since the opening of the Cotabato Office in 2008, IOM has become one of the biggest humanitarian actors – leading emergency response for affected populations – in Mindanao. IOM Cotabato is currently implementing peace building and gender mainstreaming activities in partnership with Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA), Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC), and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), INGOs, NGOs, and civil society organizations. For more information, please contact: Mr. Besim Ajeti, IOM Cotabato Head of Office Telephone: +63644211366 | Email: [email protected] Internet: www.philippineresponse.iom.int
Municipality Inside Evacuation Centre
Families Persons
Shariff Saydona 1,864 9,320
Mamasapano 2,637 13,185
Datu Unsay 175 875
Shariff Aguak 1,373 6,865
Datu Salibo 2,119 10,595
Datu Saudi Am-patuan
1,062 5,310
Rajah Buayan 255 1,275
Talayan 1,195 5,975
Guindulungan 939 4,695
Talitay 712 3,560
Datu Anggal Midtimbang
589 2,945
GRAND TOTAL 12,920 64,600
SITUATION UPDATES The Province of Maguindanao has been declared a state of calamity by Governor Ismael Mangudadatu due to the ongoing all-out offensive against the BIFF. As of 7 March, the joint law enforcement operation has affected and displaced a total of 9,485 families or 47,425 individuals from seven Municipalities in 45 Barangays. In addition, classes were affected in 42 public schools from elementary and high school with 18,819 students and 283 teachers affected.
ASSISTANCE PROVIDED TO IDPS As of March 7, the following assistance has been extended to IDPs:
20 sacks of rice, 5 boxes of instant noodles, 5 boxes of can goods and 3 rolls of tarpaulin have been given by the National Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Council (NDRRMC) Pagalungan.
300 food packs (rice, can goods and instant noodles) to the affected families have been distributed by ARMM HEART.
1,300 food packs (rice, noodles and can goods) and 50 pieces of tarpaulin have been distributed by ARMM HEART / RDRRMC.
Temporary comfort rooms for the displaced families at Old Market Evacuation Center in Pagalungan constructed by MDRRMC Pagalungan.
The RDRRMC-ARMM provided augmentation of relief assistance of 240 food packs (rice, noodles and can goods) and 45 pieces of tarpaulin.
