© Ivan Mayrina Marawi: A Conflict on Two Fronts 8
An unnamed Marawi City resident was generous enough to allow the government to borrow his/her 11-hectare land for the transitional housing for the internally displaced persons affected by the ongoing operations against pro-ISIS Maute group.
At Monday's Mindanao Hour in Malacañang, Task Force Bangon Marawi spokesperson and Office of Civil Defense Assistant Secretary Deputy Administrator for Administration Kristoffer James Purisima said that the property was situated in Barangay Sagunsungan.
"It’s a private property. It’s a private property that’s why we’re also looking into fixing all the legalities also that comes--that’s part of it," he said.
"Based on the feedback from Joint Task Group Ranao which is working closely with our local government at tsaka ‘yung sa Task Force Bangon Marawi, ‘yun pong lugar na 11 hectares na paggagawan ng initial relocation area ay pribado po ang may-ari at ipinahihiram po ito sa atin para po sa panahon na kakailanganin sa interim lang, interim," Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Brigadier General Restituto Padilla Jr. added.
Padilla said the owner of the lot would lease the property to the government without any exchange.
"Batid po namin na walang bayad. Ipinahihiram po ito sa panahon na kakailanganin ng gobyerno kasi ‘yung nagmamay-ari ay residente din ng Marawi at kanyang nararamdaman ang paghihirap ng kanyang sariling mga kababayan kaya kusang-loob niyang ibinigay ito nang walang kapalit," he said.
"Pero kung ano man ang legalities na kinakailangang pirmahan, willing naman po ‘yung party na nagpapahiram naman po na pumirma at ‘yun po yata ang gagawin ng Task Force Bangon Marawi," he added.
Padilla added that the identity of the land owner would be revealed if he or she agrees to it.
Meanwhile, the fighting in Marawi City is now concentrated on the last one square kilometer or two barangays. — Trisha Macas/RSJ, GMA News