Displaced families can return home to some Sibugay areas, says Soliman

MANILA, Philippines—As government troops moved deeper in Zamboanga Sibugay to pursue lawless elements, some of the more than 20,000 evacuees could start returning home beginning this week, Social Welfare Secretary Corazon “Dinky’’ Soliman said Tuesday.

By Sunday, the number of evacuees in Payao, Alicia, Talusan, Mabuhay and Olutanga towns has risen to 4,533 families—or 21,090 individuals—as more people fled their homes after rogue elements fleeing government troops wandered into their barangays, Soliman said.

“Based on the assessment of the military and the governor, many of them can start going back to their places in certain areas this week because the military’s hot pursuit operation against the lawless elements has moved farther away,’’ she said in a phone interview.

The evacuees, however, have to check if it was already safe to return to their villages. It would take at least two weeks before everyone could settle down in their own homes, barring any sudden outbreak of clash or incidence of violence, Soliman said.

“Even if the military or police say it’s safe to go back, they will have to check out the situation. The lawless elements are harassing soft targets to distract the Army. The process will take about two weeks before they can settle down,’’ she said.

In Al-Barka, Basilan, where 1,891 families or 9,481 individuals remained cooped up in evacuation centers or in the homes of relatives following the Oct. 18 ambush of soldiers by rebels that killed 19 soldiers, there was no advice for anybody to go back home because of ongoing military operations, Soliman said.

“There is a hot pursuit operation, and the people are not being asked to go back as of now,’’ she said.

Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development has allotted P7 million and P2 million for its cash for work programs for the evacuees in Zamboanga Sibugay and Basilan, respectively, to help them recover from their displacement, Soliman said.

The DSWD is paying off evacuees who will repair homes, school buildings, barangay centers or any government facility that had either been destroyed or damaged during the Air Force bombardments of enemy lairs, or fierce firefight between the two camps.

“They’ll start the work this week,’’ said Soliman, who visited Zamboanga Sibugay last Friday together with Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo and Secretary Teresita Deles, presidential adviser on the peace process, on President Aquino’s instructions.