MANILA, Philippines?The United Nations' World Food Programme on Friday denied the separate reported incidents of military food blockade and Moro Islamic Liberation Front hijack of its food aid to conflict-affected areas in Mindanao.
In a phone interview with INQUIRER.net, WFP country representative Stephen Anderson clarified that the incident referred to in the September 4 article in the Philippine Daily Inquirer is not part of its large-scale efforts to help internally displaced people.
"We don't want to characterize the incident as a food blockade as it is an isolated incident," he said.
Anderson also said the reported MILF hijack incident is still being investigated, and the perpetrators are still not identified.
At the same time, despite the downscaling of violence in Mindanao, he announced that the WFP has increased its food aid by 500 metric tons, making its total food aid 1,700 metric tons. He said this would benefit a total of 410,000 people.
Quoting the National Disaster Coordinating Council, Anderson said more than half a million people have been displaced by the conflict in Mindanao.
"The security situation has improved, but as a result of the escalation of conflict several weeks ago, people have been on the move," he said.
Reacting to the news article "Aid agencies accuse military of mounting food blockades" that appeared in the September 4 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the United Nations system in the Philippines said the incident referred in the report is "an isolated case."
Philippine Daily Inquirer is the parent company of INQUIRER.net.
Reaffirming its support to ongoing peace efforts and commits to provide humanitarian relief assistance to conflict-affected communities in Mindanao, the UN said the alleged military food blockade last week referred to a separate set of operations, this time the Action for Conflict Transformation for Peace.
"The United Nations has not experienced any difficulties or challenges in delivering food to the distribution centers. Dispatches of food support for displaced families have been unhampered amidst recent hostilities and increased security precautions being taken by UN staff and its cooperating partners," the statement said.
The UN office in the Philippines said it will continue to coordinate closely with national and provincial government authorities, especially disaster coordinating councils and social welfare offices at all levels.
"The United Nations appreciates the continuous and proactive support of the Philippine Government to humanitarian efforts in Mindanao and understands the military's concern over the safety and security of humanitarian relief workers," it said.
On the alleged MILF hijack, Anderson said that two unidentified persons on Wednesday took 28 of the 60 bags of rice to be delivered to Libutan.
He said the two men's affiliation to the MILF is not confirmed.
"It is not known who they are, nor is it known if they were armed or not. We are trying to know the details and the Philippine National Police is leading the investigation," he said.
Anderson said the 28 bags would have supplied the rice requirements of 56 families for one month.
"We are concerned about this diversion. This is the first time since WFP started its large-scale support to internally displaced people on August 11 such a diversion happened, or even since the 2006 operations of WFP in the region," he said.
"I hope this is an isolated case and not to be repeated," he added.
Asked if this means WFP would suspend its operations, Anderson said it won't. He also said additional security measures will be decided on once the full details of the hijack are known.
Anderson said that aside from the local authorities and the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the UN agency is closely coordinating its operations with the Bangsamoro Development Agency and the Community and Family Services Inc.
