JOLO, SULU, Philippines – The number of evacuees here has now reached to 7,600, mostly housed in evacuation centers in four municipalities in Sulu, Task Froce ICRC disclosed today.
The evacuees are housed in school buildings in the municipalities of Indanan, Tapilapao, Maimbung and Parang, said Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan, Chairman, Task Force ICRC.
The provincial government has recorded so far the number of individuals or families who went to evacuation centers provided by the government. Tan claimed, there “could be more” as others are staying in their relatives in adjacent municipalities of Idanan, Talipao and Maimbung.
The military however is surprised on the rising number of evacuees since there is no impending military operation against the Abu Sayyaf. The Abu Sayyaf is holding two foreign ICRC volunteers hostage for 88 days.
Task Force ICRC Spokesman Col. Edgard Arevalo said, there is “no direct information of military operations” to civilians.
Most of the evacuees claim, they fear being caught by the crossfire. Male evacuees said, they rather be at evacuation center ‘to prevent being arrested or invited by military of police.
Civilians see a semi-martial in Sulu Island, as they no longer move freely in the dark.
Arevalo said, a civilian does not have to be apprehensive of the “State of Emergency” “kung wala silang kasalanan, hindi problema yun,” he added.
Arevalo said, the evacuation was stemmed from the “misinformation” being done by unscrupulous civilians” in Jolo proper.
The provincial social welfare office is in charge of the documentation and distribution of relief goods to “internally displaced people(IDPs)” who are now in the different evacuation centers in the province.
Evacuees received initial food assistance from the government like rice, noodles, eggs, and flour and basic medicines.
The biggest numbers of evacuees in the town proper of Parang, said Arevalo.
Parang is very much affected with IDPs because it is where Abu Sayyaf leader Al-Bader roam with his captives.
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