Clearing of conflict-hit Zambo areas resumes

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - Clearing operations resumed in the  conflict-hit zone in this city after they were halted nearly a week by the incessant rains spawned by the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ), an official said.

Police Director Carmelo Valmoria, chief of the Special Action Force (SAF) and Task Force Suyud (clearing), said the clearing police forces have covered almost all areas under the sector 1, which  include  the stretch outside the border of Sta. Barbara and Sta. Catalina passing the Lustre Street.

Valmoria said the clearing team under the sector 2 is now moving to the interior part of the district to clear the area  of possible presence of unexploded ordnance and improvised bombs left by the rebels.

The clearing forces have so far recovered 280 unexploded ordnance, including rifle grenades, hand grenades, 11 assorted firearms and others.

The members of the clearing team with the Philippine National Police (PNP) crime laboratory was able to recover and process 156 cadavers since day one of the crisis.

Out of the total figure, 146 were MNLF rebels, three of whom were females, while 10 of the cadavers were identified as civilians. - Roel Pareño