Old woman, 2 kids die in evacuation centers

COTABATO CITY — A septuagenarian and two children aged 10 months and five have died in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao, unable to bear the harsh conditions at evacuation centers where their families fled to at the height of hostilities between Moro rebels and militiamen.

Dr. Tahir Sulaik, chief of the Maguindanao Integrated Provincial Health Office, identified the fatalities as Tomali Datu Kali, 70; Marissa Morelisa, five; and Badruddin Kamsa, 10 months.

Sulaik said Kali, who was diagnosed with severe anemia, refused to be confined at the provincial hospital.

The hostilities, which displaced some 5,000 families, were triggered by the June 23 roadside bombing in Shariff Aguak, which left seven people dead and nearly killed Maguindanao Gov. Datu Andal Ampatuan.

"Our main concern now is the safe return of the evacuees to their villages," Sulaik said.

The joint ceasefire committees of the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Ampatuan agreed to a low-level truce the other day, setting demarcations that would separate guerrilla and militia forces in five villages in the adjoining towns of Shariff Aguak, Mama—sapano and Datu Unsay.