STATEMENT OF MAYOR BENG CLIMACO (AS OF 1pm 9-11-13) September 11, 2013 at 2:26pm Today, the third day of the crisis in the city, several business establishments have responded to our call open to cater to the needs of the public. Big supermarkets such Minpro, LB, Budgetwise, Hapi and some convenience stores, some food chains, pharmacies as well as gasoline stations outside of the so-called affected barangays are opened starting today. Sta. Cruz market and the Bagsakan Center are also open. The DTI is monitoring all prices of commodities to ensure that no one is taking advantage of the situation by hoarding or raising prices of essential commodities. Mr. Edwin To, representing the business sector in Zamboanga is here with us as a display of his sector’s support to our efforts to help normalize the situation and ensure the welfare of our people. The CMC through its various sub-committees is continuously performing its role to provide the needs of the evacuees especially on food and accommodation. The Joaquin Enriquez Memorial Sports complex in Baliwasan houses the bulk of the evacuees while the others are temporarily sheltered in 13 other evacuation centers. Total number of evacuees as of 11:30am today is 3,159 families with 12,907 dependents. Secretary Dinky Soliman has also been sent by President Aquino to help us in the relief operations. A family of 5 including 4 children who were held hostage in Talon-talon and released yesterday morning were presented to the Crisis Management Committee in the presence of Secretaries Mar and Gazmin last night. They were Mercedita Hasinon, the mother and her four children. Two others were also released in Talon-talon last night—Jakaria Salih, 43 and his son Santiago Sali-19. They were all released in exchange of food and only one hostage is left. Based on latest reports, more or less 100 hostages are still in the hands of the MNLF forces. Efforts to negotiate with the hostage-takers, who belong to the Misuari faction are ongoing. We call on the OPAPP to address the demand and claims of the MNLF. We call on the hostage-takers to please release the hostages as our priority is the safety and protection of the Zamboangueno community
Posted on: Wed, 11 Sep 2013 09:45:50 +0000
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