Marawi City (CNN Philippines, July 11) — Since the Marawi crisis began some 50 days ago, the livelihood of residents living near Lake Lanao, located around 13 kilometers away from the battle zone, has taken a hit.
Fishing boats have been docked at the lake for almost two months, so fishermen, who are prohibited from sailing on Lanao Lake, keep themselves busy with other things like fixing water pumps or playing basketball.
Adnon Malang Datuon, a fisherman, said, “Para kaming bakwit ngayon e. Di kami makapanghuli ng isda. Binawal pa yung mga tropa. Binawal kaming manghuli ng isda dahil baka maligaw na bala.”
[Translation:We’re like evacuees now. We can’t fish. We’re prohibited from fishing because there might be stray bullets.]
Adnon Malang Datuon used to bring home around P120 to P200 pesos daily from fishing in Lanao Lake. Now, not he can’t even get a single centavo.
Zia Alonto Adiong, spokesman of the Lanao del Sur Crisis Management Committee, said, “It’s only a matter of discussing it with the military in order to identify and delineate areas where they can go on with their livelihood.”
Authorities patrol the vast waters covering 34,000 hectares – the second largest freshwater lake in the country.
READ: Terrorists attempt to escape war zone through Lake Lanao
Patrollers say it may be dangerous for fishermen to sail in the lake while the firefight in Marawi is still ongoing.
PO3 Edilberto Bernardino of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Maritime Group said, “Chine-check po namin yung mga posible na bangka na palabas na pwedeng gamitin ng mga Maute at mga papasok na bangka na posibleng mag-responde sa kanila.”
[Translation:We check the boats going out which may be used by the Maute and the boats going in which may be helping them.]
A former Maute member earlier disclosed to CNN Philippines that young members of the terror group have already escaped from Marawi to Butig town on June 2 via Lanao Lake.
That claim has to be be validated, but it’s a sufficient reason for authorities to step up their vigilance.
SPO1 Khaharudin Diamelon, also of the PNP Maritime Group, said, “Halos araw-araw po pag bumaba po tayo ng 1.5 kilometers from the war zone, ini-i-snipe po tayo. Pero sa awa ng Panginoon, wala pa naman pong tinatamaan sa tropa natin.]
[Translation: Almost every day, we go down 1.5 kilometers away form the war zone and snipers shoot at us. But with the grace of God, none of the troops have been hit.]
