Pregnant mom recalls ordeal in Wao strafing

WAO, Lanao Del Sur -- A pregnant woman here thought she could not
survive a strafing incident in her community during the early hours of April
25.

Lailyn Ali, a 20 year old mother, was lucky to have survived unharmed
but her two friends who were also pregnant were not as lucky.

Four persons died when three men armed with assault rifles rained bullets
on a line of houses in Sitio Magtampong, Barangay Park Area, Wao, Lanao del Sur.

It has been a week since the bloody incident but police authorities in
this bustling town in Lanao del Sur are yet to identify and file charges
against those responsible in two separate but believed to be related incidents
that stunned peace loving residents of the farming town.

Before the April 25 strafing, two minors, aged 15 and 13, were killed
and the work animals they were taking care of were taken by the attackers.

Residents of Sitio Magampong, mostly Maranaws, feared and immediately
fled to safer grounds. Among them was Lailyn who was nine month pregnant.

That situation was so hard for me, especially when we started fleeing
away from our community,” Ali said in the center of Barangay Park Area where
about 1,100 villagers sought temporary shelter.

Two of those who died were my friends, both pregnant. One was four-month pregnant and the other,
two months,” she said.

Police investigation showed that a witness allegedly saw one of the suspects
washing a bloodied machete. Whgen the
man saw the witness, he ran toward Sitio Magampong.

The next morning, the strafing incident in at least five houses
transpired in Sitio Magampong in what police earlier theorized could be a
retaliatory attack after the death of minors the day before.

Killed in the strafing in Sitio Magampong were Hanifah
Sumayan-Mangutara, 29 and four-month pregnant, her younger sister Almera
Sumayan-Mandoc, 22 and two month pregnant, Emran Manabilang, 2 year old and
50-year-old Master Pendatun.

Eight others were rushed to the hospital. Among them were Mylene
Sumayan, Faisal Sumayan, and Raima Sumayan, siblings of the slain pregnant
women. Raima was in comatose condition at the hospital in Bukidnon due to
serious bullet injuries.

Police investigators admitted it has difficulty gathering statement from
possible witnesses as they refuse to cooperate with lawmen for security reasons.

The bloody incident was still fresh in Lailyn’s memory. Visibly
traumatized, she demanded speedy justice for the victims.

Teenager Nobaisa Lalao said she was so scared while bullets were hitting
her home. I was so scared that I though all of us will die.”

Another survivor, Anisah Casan, said she was uncertain what will happen
to her farm now that her family was in the evacuation site. She said they
really wanted to return home.

At least 495 families or about 1,828 individuals have been displaced by
the armed conflict.

On Thursday, the ARMM-Humanitarian Emergency Action Rescue Team
(ARMM-HEART), headed by ARMM Vice Governor Al-Rashid Lucman extended relief
assistance to the displaced families and handed cash assistance to the families
of the slain civilians and the wounded.

You cannot quantify the
suffering of the family who lost their dear ones. But at least with these help,
we can help them ease the suffering,” Lucman said.

Lucman also urged the local residents of Wao to remain calm and cooperate
with authorities in solving the problem fairly to sectarian conflict.

Crimes happen even in Metro Manila, even in Vatican for that matter,
even in Mecca, the holiest places on earth. This one is an isolated incident.
Do not throw different issues, because as far as we know, Wao is one of the
peaceful places on earth and we should not allow any individual to destroy
that,” Lucman stressed.Mayor Elvino B. Balicao, Jr., together with Chief Inspector Erickson
Baniaga, Wao police chief, have separately assured the people that it was the
first and the last crime to happen in Wao.

Lanao Del Sur Governor Mamintal Bombit” Adiong has called for an
emergency meeting with local officials to help contain the situation and
prevent its escalation.

A local crisis committee, composed of Tribal leaders, Moro-Muslims and
Christian-Settlers together with Sanguniang Bayan members, police and military
representatives, was formed to restore normalcy in Wao.