Background On 23 May 2017, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Maute armed group engaged in a firefight in the City of Marawi – a provincial area of Lanao del Sur within the region of Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). This became the justification for the Philippine government to declare Martial Law and suspend the privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus in the whole Mindanao1. The government claimed that the clashes began after the government’s attempt to serve a warrant to Isnilon Hapilon 2. Allegedly, the Maute group are in collaboration with the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF)3 , and the Abu Sayaff Group4. All of whom, reportedly, pledged allegiance to the Islamic State of Iran and Syria (ISIS) 5. In a matter of days, the group took over the streets, hijacked vehicles, hostaged number of civilians 6, occupied infrastructures, and burned buildings – including a private school, catholic cathedral, and the Marawi City Jail7; while the AFP retaliated by entering the city with ground attacks and air strikes8. Marawi City became an urban warzone, leaving number of civilians trapped inside the area9. In response to the armed conflict, the local government unit (LGU) of ARMM established the Crisis Management Centers (CMC) in Lanao del Norte10. At the same time, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) started monitoring internally displaced persons (IDPs) that are coming out from the city and its’ neighbouring areas through intensified checkpoints around major roads in Mindanao – including the entry point to Iligan City and Cagayan de Oro City 11. By 25 May 2017, two days after the conflict erupted, members of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Core Group – chaired by the OCD including representatives from Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Education (DEPEd), Department of Transportation (DOTR), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and Philippine National Police (PNP) – were on red alert on all Mindanao OCD Regional Offices, while the Regional Response Cluster (RRC) in ARMM of the NDRRMC prepared relief operations12. With Martial Law in place, Mindanao was and still considered in crisis. The relief transport and operations were limited due to curfews implemented all over Mindanao. At the same time, Search, Rescue, and Retrieval (SRR) operations for those stranded and desiring to evacuate dead victims were not yet pursued given the situation. Noted that, there were families who evacuated even before the conflict erupted and were settling in un-official evacuation sites13. On 27 May 2017, the RCCC of ARMM and Region-X was established, organized, and functioning. A centralized committee lead by DSWD and OCD-10 to report, gather information and respond to the situation in Marawi and its affected communities. While in Iligan city, the Inter-Regional Response Clusters (IRRC) and RCCC Logistics hub was established 14. By then, the Protection Cluster has identified the most urgent needs of evacuees to include food, medicines, and non- 1 See: Philippine Government, 2017. Proclamation No. 216, s. 2017 2 See: Presidential Communications Operations Office, 2017 on the press statement released. 3 See: Placido, 2017. A news article on BIFF and the Marawi City Conflict. Including the DSWD DROMIC, Preparedness for Response Report #1 on the Armed Conflict in Marawi City as of 24 May 2017, 10AM. 4 See: Corgue, 2017. On a news article about government troops 5 See: Placido and Corgue’s articles. Including the DSWD DROMIC updates 6 See: Roxas 2017, story on the hostage of Bishop Edwin dela Peña, Wendelyn Mayornita, and other parishioners. 7 See: Fonbuena and Bueza’s news article regarding the timeline of the conflict. 8 See: ABS-CBN News article regarding AFP’s air strike in Marawi City . 9 See: Allard 2017 News article in Reuters. 10See: ARMM Bureau of Public Information. 11 See: Paculba 2017. Security beefed up in CdO amid Martial Law declaration in Mindanao. 12 See: Office of Civil Defense statement on their prepation for the relief operation. 13 See: Monisa Disuma’s story in Appendix C 14 See: CHR Region-X Report on IDP Monitoring – Government Cluster 5