Group building case vs Duterte, military over findings of alleged abuses in Marawi

By CONG B. CORRALES
Associate Editor

AFTER a two-day documentation of human rights violations in Marawi City, delegates to the 3rd International Interfaith Humanitarian Mission said they found evidence that would form part of their case-building against the Armed Forces and President Rodrigo Duterte.

In a forum over the weekend, the delegates led by Kalinaw Mindanao affirmed reports from Marawi evacuees, and added 96 cases of human rights violations allegedly perpetrated by the military in the course of almost five months of military air strikes in Marawi.

Karapatan secretary general Jigs Clamor said their documentation were based on fact sheets, and affidavits would follow.

“All the evacuees we have interviewed and documented have given their consent to use their testimonies (as part of our case-building),” said Clamor.

In the two days they spent in evacuation centers, Clamor said, they interviewed 57 individuals. In the interviews, they discovered 48 cases of destruction of properties, nine cases of divestment of properties, six arbitrary arrests, eight cases of threats and intimidation, five cases of indiscriminate firing of government forces, and eight cases of violation of domicile.

At least 10 families have reported that more than P56 million worth of their properties were destroyed as the government intensified the air strikes against the Maute group and other Isis-inspired groups in Marawi City. Reports of looted properties and military using their houses as camps also abound now that some families were able to inspect their homes.

One family, Clamor withheld the names for security reasons, complained that the military forced them to pay at least P3,000 to allow entry to their community in Barangay Kilala to check on their properties. Despite the payment, soldiers still refused to allow them entry. When they asked for the payment to be returned, soldiers gave them a sack of rice instead, along with a TV and gas stove, allegedly looted items.

“There are still many cases that need to be investigated. We are calling on international institutions like the United Nations to look into these human rights violations,” Clamor said.

The next step, he said, is the consolidation if the findings and discussions on the possibility of filing charges.

“Kailangan kasi na malakas ang ating kaso that’s why we have to make sure during the validation and consolidation of our findings,” Clamor said.

Aida Ibrahim of Tindeg Ranao believes the resettlement housing that is being built away from Marawi City affirms their suspicion that they will never be allowed to go back to their city.

Tindeg Ranao, Ibrahim said, is a group of Maranaos who have been driven out of Marawi City.

“Pinabisita lang kami sa aming mga bahay. Wala naman kaming mababalikan kasi sira na yung mga bahay namin,” Ibrahim said.

Jerome Succor Aba of Suara Bangsamoro condemned the Duterte administration for what she called as “lies to the Bangsamoro people.”

“What happened in Marawi only proves who is Duterte’s real boss is — the US military-industrial complex,” Aba said.

However, he said Maranaos would not let what happened in Marawi City bring them down. Instead, Aba claimed, it has united them more in advancing their right to self-determination.