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Marawi IDPs to Duterte: Sack NHA, HUDCC, TF Bangon Marawi execs for alleged anomalies
The chief of Marawi City’s Internally Displaced Persons Association (IDPs) on Wednesday urged President Rodrigo Duterte to sack top officials of the National Housing Authority (NHA), Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) and Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) over alleged anomalies in rehabilitating the war-torn city.
At a press conference, Hadji Amin Titing Atar, spokesperson of Datu Meno Manabilang, said their group is calling for the removal from posts of NHA General Manager Marcelino Escalada, NHA Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC) chairman Victor Balba and HUDCC and Task Force Bangon Marawi chairperson Eduardo Del Rosario.
Manabilang is the chairman of the Sowara O Miyamagoyag (Voice of Marawi IDPs), a group composed of stakeholders, residents, displaced persons and affected families of Marawi City.
"It's one of our first request to the President. In fact we will be submitting an open letter to the President because these three officials are the main bottleneck in the immediate implementation of the rehabilitation of Marawi as envisioned by the President," Atar said.
Atar said it is up to Duterte to solve the woes hounding the efforts in restoring Marawi City.
"You are betrayed by the people whom you have trusted in this task that has something to do with your vision of what you want for the Maranao and for Marawi in general," Atar said.
"We leave it to your ultimate wisdom because we believe you still know more than we know how we will overcome the situation," Atar added.
'Gusto na naming umuwi'
In another statement, Manabilang also made an appeal to the Chief Executive to assist them so that they could return to their communities and start rebuilding their lives two years after war wrecked the city.
“President Duterte, we need your help na mapabilis ito dahil gusto na naming umuwi. We still live in temporary bunkhouses and evacuation centers for more than two years now,” Manabilang said.
“We want justice for the sake of Marawi City and the Philippines,” he added.
Manabilang underscored that for more than two years, Marawi City is still in ruins.
“We are still helpless and crying to demand a new beginning as we still hold on to the promise of the government agencies in-charge of the Demolition and Debris Management Project,” Manabilang said.
“We may be survivors but we are not even close to being saved,” he added.
Manabilang urged Duterte to listen to them so that there will be a "restoration of trust and justice."
'Above board'
Meanwhile, in a separate statement, Del Rosario underscored that the involved agencies have followed government rules and regulations and generally accepted ethical and moral standards in the overall rehabilitation of Marawi City.
The TFBM chief said allegations against them would be answered at a proper forum.
"I am confident that all dealings and engagements with regard to the development in the most affected area are above board," Del Rosario said.
"While we respect freedom of expression that is freely exercised in our country, we welcome the complaints filed against TFBM and NHA and we shall respond accordingly in the proper forum," he added.
On Tuesday, Manabilang's camp filed criminal and administrative charges against top officials of the NHA and HUDCC before the Office of the Ombudsman over the alleged anomalous demolition of destroyed structures in the war-torn city.
Manabilang said he is confident that the Commission and Audit and the Ombudsman will order a suspension and issue a Notice of Disallowance to the NHA following the disclosure of alleged anomalies.
“We applaud President Duterte’s anti-corruption initiatives as evidenced by the recent firing of the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and MWSS (Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System) heads,” Manabilang said.
“We hope this may be applied to NHA’s greedy and corrupt officials,” he added.
GMA News Online has contacted NHA GM Escalada's office but was told he is on official travel and no one could issue a statement on his behalf.
However, the NHA said in a text message sent to GMA News Online that there will be a Balai Talakayan/media conference on Tuesday, June 4, and this issue will be discussed in that forum.
It was in May 2017 when the ISIS-inspired Maute group attacked Marawi City and brought hostilities in the area for five months.
This prompted Duterte to place the entire region of Mindanao under military rule.
The government declared Marawi City free from terrorists last October 2017. —KG, GMA News
