IDPPAR no. 06: Forced displacement in Talitay, Maguindanao due to Armed Violence, Issue no. 01
INCIDENT BACKGROUND
On 19 March 2020 at one o’clock in the afternoon, a firefight between two (2) families occurred in Barangay Kilalan in the Municipality of Talitay, Province of Maguindanao. It was reported that the cause of the conflict was due to a political issue.
Prior to the above incident, on 18 March 2020 at around seven o’clock in the evening, multiple gunshots were heard coming from Barangay Gadungan and towards the direction of Barangay Kilalan. Series of firefights were recorded the following weeks from 26 March to 26 April. The Municipal Social Welfare Officer (MSWO) of Talitay reported a total of 1,021 families (5,105 individuals) displaced.
CURRENT SITUATION
All IDPs who have taken refuge in Talitay Proper have returned to their homes since last week of June 2020 based on the report of the Local Government Unit of Talitay and its Municipal Social Welfare Office (MSWO). Only 128 families (approximately 640 individuals) from barangay Pageda and Kilalan are still displaced and are currently seeking refuge in Datu Odin Sinsuat Municipality.
On 08 July 2020, a joint Protection monitoring was conducted in the IDP site led by the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD) of Maguindanao Province, together with Protection partners such as UNHCR, UNFPA, and CFSI. The team was accompanied by the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer (MDRRMO) and MSWO of Datu Odin Sinsuat. The team conducted a consultation with the IDPs representatives such as women, men, youth, elderly and barangay officials.
The barangay officials of Kilalan reported that there are also IDP families who are currently staying in Barangay Bongued, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao but said report still needs verification. The expressed needs of the IDPs are food, shelter, livelihood, and WASH support, among others.
For more information on the protection assessment report, please refer to the attached IDPPAR.
