COTABATO CITY, Philippines – The toll of affected families continues to rise due to incessant rains and increasing water level in the Rio Grande de Mindanao river, which flows into Cotabato City and Sultan Kudarat town.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) expressed alarm over the situation, as most of the families affected in Maguindanao towns, Midsayap and Pikit in North Cotabato as well as in Cotabato City are MILF communities.
MILF Vice Chairman for Political Affairs Ghadzali Jaafar said they are also concerned with what the affected families are going through.
Jaafar said the MILF is ready to dispatch around 3,000 members, including elements of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces to help declog the river from the thick water hyacinth in Rio Grande de Mindanao.
"Desido ang MILF na tumulong magtanggal ng mga hyacinth o pusaw sa Maguindanaoan," Jaafar said.
The MILF also sent a team to check the situation in the Rio Grande de Mindanao to verify the amount of water hyacinth clogging.
One of the priorities of the team is to remove the water hyacinth under Delta Bridge.
Meanwhile, the MILF assured the public that this move is coordinated with the GRP-MILF Coordinating Committees in the Cessation of Hostilities.
Jaafar also said that those who will be mobilized will not carry firearms while working on the field.
