Marawi City — Civilian rescue volunteers and members of the Philippine-Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace corridor took advantage of the ceasefire declared by the military on Sunday and plucked out five persons – including a baby girl – from the war zone here.
However, the sixth to be rescued, a 74-year-old man, had died before rescuers had arrived.
The elderly man, identified as Hassan Ali, had suffered a stroke weeks ago, a member of the peace corridor said. It was not immediately known when Ali had exactly died.
Peace Assistant Secretary Dickson Hermoso said the rescuers risked their lives and plucked out the trapped civilians amid the gunfire.
“One of our rescuers was nearly harmed. A bullet hit his pants,” Hermoso said.
He said more rescue operations would be carried out in the next few days – depending on the situation.
At least 100 civilians were still believed to be trapped in the war zone, including hostages being held by the Maute gunmen, said Lt. Col. Jo-ar Herrera, spokesperson of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division.
The eight-hour ceasefire declared by the military, which started 6 a.m. Sunday, was meant to observe Eid’l Fitr, the end of Ramadan, and also allowed the rescue of trapped civilians.
The ceasefire ended at 2 p.m. and automatic rifle and machine gun fire, along with mortar round explosions, immediately resumed.
A military officer said the Maute gunmen started firing their guns shortly after the ceasefire ended.
Journalists covering the rescue operation, soldiers and other civilian members of the Lanao del Sur provincial rescue team, also had to run for cover when bullets started reaching their position – just a few meters past the Amai Pakpak Medical Center.
The area that the stray bullet reached was supposed to be a “cleared area” already, including the nearby Agus I hydroplant.
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