‘Bakwit’ raring to go home

Hasana Domado has put up a “sari-sari” store outside an evacuation center in Iligan City so she can save money before her family returns to war-torn Marawi City. DIVINA M. SUSON

ILIGAN CITY—Following President Duterte’s declaration of the liberation of Marawi City from the influence of terrorists after close to five months of fighting, evacuees, locally known as “bakwit,” are eager to return home but are worried on how to start their lives all over again.

Procema Perez said she was initially relieved when she learned that her village of Datu Saber was spared from the military’s aerial bombings in the early days of the crisis, which started on May 23 when Islamic State (IS)-inspired groups laid siege to Marawi.

But after more than a month of a full-blown war, Perez said, she was devastated to learn that their house had been razed.

“Unlike the others, we did not lose any family member because of the war,” Perez said. “But we lost our home.”

Perez, a utility worker at Amai Pakpak Medical Center, said she was happy to hear the fall of Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute, the leaders of the groups who took over sections of Marawi. Hapilon and Maute were killed by soldiers on Monday dawn.

“I’m happy, but I’m also worried that their supporters will follow what they did and do the same thing in Marawi,” said Perez, who has nine children and is now eight months pregnant.

When the war erupted, her family fled Marawi and took refuge in an evacuation center at Fisheries High School in Barangay Buru-un here. She continued working as a utility woman at the evacuation center in Barangay Maria Cristina here, some 3 kilometers away from Buru-un.

Perez said she was praying that President Duterte would fulfill his commitment to help displaced families get back on their feet after the war.

According to Perez, her husband Jonie, a construction worker, wants to find work when the government starts building transition houses for Marawi residents.

Hasana Domado, a trader in Barangay Datu sa Dansalan in Marawi, said it was hard to start again, saying she and her husband lost their construction materials business during the Marawi war.

Using money given to her by relatives and friends, including the P1,000 she received when the President visited the evacuation site in June, Domado opened a small sari-sari (variety) store outside the evacuation center in Buru-un.

She said Mr. Duterte’s announcement on the liberation of Marawi gave her hope that she and her family could finally return to the city.

Photo by JEOFFREY MAITEM

“But we have nothing to return to because our house was hit by bombs,” she said.

She said she was angry with terrorists who attacked the city and not with government soldiers, “who bomb our houses,” nor with Mr. Duterte.

But another evacuee did not share Domado’s view because her 30-year-old son remained missing.

“I’m not happy Marawi was liberated,” said Norma Saumay, 60, who fled Barangay Lilud and took refuge at an evacuation center in Barangay Maria Cristina. “I’m [extremely sad] because my son is still missing, and our house was destroyed by the military air strikes,” she said.

Her son, Kadir, was working as a security guard in Bangolo district in Marawi when fighting broke out in May.

“I hope we can return to Marawi and rebuild our home,” Saumay added.

Tarhata Mustari said she was thankful for the military and the President for liberating Marawi.

Mustari gave birth at an evacuation center, named her baby “Martial Law,” but later lost the child to pneumonia.

“Thank you, Mr. President, for your promise to help us rebuild our home,” she said. “Thank you for your help while we are still in the evacuation center. I also thank our military for liberating Marawi from IS.”

“If our local officials would allow us, then we will choose to go back to Marawi,” she said. “There’s no place like home,” Mustari said.