Maranaos demand TFBM abolition for BTA to rebuild Marawi

By ALI G. MACABALANG

March 4, 2019

Devastated Dansalan Mosque aka 'Masget i Bato' stands along Marawi's Gomisa Avenue. (FB photo)

MARAWI CITY: Strife-affected Maranaos have demanded the abolition of the Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) for alleged failure to rebuild this war-torn city, pinning hope this time on the infant Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) to carry out undelivered rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts.

They accused the TFBM leadership of alleged “incompetence” in performing the mandate from President Duterte on the exigency of rebuilding this city from rubbles.

The Bangsamoro Consensus Group (BCG), comprising Marawi siege-displaced professionals, said instead of its oft-aired demand for the resignation of Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) Sec. Eduardo Del Rosario as TFBM head, the President should abolish the task force and let the BTA do the rebuilding of this city.

A Department of Public Works and Highways official, serving as member of the TFBM technical working group, had earlier attributed the “delay” in the reconstruction efforts to Del Rosario’s alleged “lack of technical knowhow.”

Even House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had lamented the delayed rehabilitation works, and created a special working committee to look into the reasons and recommend remedies, said BCG leader Drieza Lininding, who had attended one of the meetings called for the new House committee.

Lininding alleged that Sec. Del Rosario has resorted to series of “media rhetoric” in making-up for his lapses. Yet the rhetorical claims have rather showcased TFBM head’s “ignorance and sensitivity” about the plight of Marawi IDPs, he said.

He urged well-meaning media people and international NGOs to “visit and see for your selves the true state of our city, which Del Rosario once described as alive and booming.”

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in an earlier report, said some 46,000 Marawi evacuees were still languishing in different shelter camps in Northern Mindanao.

Before bowing out of office last week, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Gov. Mujiv Hataman led the ceremonial opening of 100 of 200 housing units funded and implemented by his administration. Hatamn said the 100 other units were almost completed and would be inaugurated soon by the BTA.

Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Chair Murad Ebrahim leads as interim chief minister of the BTA, which replaced ARMM for a three-year operation that lay down the foundation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BAR).

In his recent media briefing in Cotabato City, Murad said the BTA inherits some P32-billion budget allotted for ARMM this year, adding that a significant portion of such fund would be used to hasten the rehabilitation and reconstruction of this city.

For Lininding, the anxiety-gripped Maranao evacuees would be better off under the Murad-led BTA than the BTFM.

In a Facebook post, Lininding uploaded an e-copy of a certification from the National Housing Authority attesting its possession of P2.1-billion fund for the reconstruction of Marawi’s most affected areas (MAAs).

(AGM/RSP)