by JOHN RIZLE. L. SALIGUMBA

Social Welfare Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman said 62,000 people have fled from barangays affected with the standoff between government troops and the Moro National Liberation Front in the last seven days.

The Crisis Management Center recorded 6,024 families living in 26 evacuation centers all over the city, the biggest among which is the Joaquin Enriquez Sports Complex which hosts 44,000 evacuees.

The evacuees came from the villages of Rio Hondo, Talon-Talon, Mampang, parts of Tugbungan and of Sta. Barbara and Sta. Catalina where houses and buildings were burned.

President Benigno Aquino III assured evacuees on Saturday to provide them with relief packs and rebuild razed or damaged houses.

But there is still no certainty as to when the fighting will stop.

On Saturday night, authorities denied reports of a ceasefire between the MNLF and the government as military strikes continued.

The only certainty now is for evacuees to survive by temporarily living in makeshift tents and thrive on rationed food. (John Rizle L. Saligumba/davaotoday.com)

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