Maute group’s haven in Lanao del Sur now a tourist attraction

BUTIG, Lanao del Sur - In a far-flung village here, the birthplace of the extremist Maute group, a small piece of paradise has sprung up, heralding a new beginning for a town mired in its violent past.

Located in a lush valley, where Maute fighters had trained in guerilla and urban warfare, a resort-type weekend getaway, simply called Butig Nature’s View, has risen, providing a fresh scenery for locals who have gotten used to seeing the ugly images of war.

In an effort to erase the horrors of the past, the military and local officials started collaborating in February 2018 in putting up Butig Nature’s View in Camp Darul-Iman, Barangay Sandab, which is part of a rehabilitation program following years of intermittent clashes between soldiers and Maute radicals which left a trail of destruction in the remote town bereft of progress.

The park is now open to visitors, but it is still a work in progress with additional attractions in the pipeline.

“Yung dating lair ng extremism is now converted into eco-tourism. Yung dati violence ang nakikita sa lugar, ngayon, peace na ini-espouse natin,” said Colonel  Romeo Brawner of the Army’s 103rd Brigade.

A pond teeming with fish sits in the middle of the tiny nature park with cottages overlooking the modest tourist attraction.

A bullet-riddled mosque stands by the pond untouched, reminding visitors of this town’s dark history. “Pinag-usapan ito na i-repair, pero sabi naman ng ibang elders huwag na lang i-repair for them to see kung ano yung gulo noon,” said Lieutenant Colonel Edgar Allan Villanueva of the 49th Infantry Battalion, the military unit tasked with securing Butig.

It is in Butig where the Maute group first hoisted the ISIS flag after taking over the town’s municipal hall in 2016, triggering the military to launch an offensive which eventually drove away the extremists after days of destructive fighting.

The town became the favorite battle ground for the Maute brothers before they joined forces with other ISIS-inspired fighters in laying siege on Marawi City in May 2017 where they were eventually killed in the bloody urban combat which spanned over five months.

“Very symbolic na i-convert natin ang image ng Butig,” Brawner said.

By conerting the town’s image, authorities are hoping to reverse the biting poverty that has been plaguing Butig.

“Yung development ng isang lugar hindi imposible basta wala ng gulo,” said Villanueva.

And with guns remaining silent so far, hopes for lasting peace have been bolstered.

“Ngayon, ‘pag sinabing Butig, puwede na siyang puntahan, puwede na siyang pasyalan,” Villanueva said.