Eight years since the Marawi siege devastated the only Islamic city in the Philippines, victims and advocates came together during the webinar “Kabnar sa Marawi: Reclaiming Justice, Rebuilding Lives” to demand justice, dignified returns, and reparations for thousands displaced from their homes. 

Executive Director of Mindanao Climate Justice Victoria Nolasco linked Marawi’s call for justice to the Palestinian struggle.

“The people of Marawi and the people of Palestine are bound not only by shared histories of destruction, but they share aspirations for dignity, justice, and self-determination,” she said.

The siege began on May 23, 2017, when members of the ISIS-linked Maute group clashed with government forces. On May 24, then-President Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao, in which over 300,000 Marawi residents were only given six hours to evacuate, displacing 353,921 individuals from their homes. 

Moro Consensus Group Founding Chairman Drieza Abato Lininding questioned the government’s preparedness on alarming security threats; recalling that weeks before the attacks, text messages had circulated warning of a potential attack.

“That’s why until now, this is our question to the national government, where is the preparation? Why is it [that] these people, this group, easily and without resistance they were able to occupy barangays especially the central districts of Marawi City without resistance,” he stressed.

Moreover, Sultan Abdul Hamidullah Atar, Sultan of Marawi City and  Development Officer, shared insights from his book, “Thotolan: Maranao IDP Stories,” recounting the experiences of victims before, during, and after the siege.

“The comprehensive plan for Marawi rehabilitation never became inclusive, culturally insensitive, and disrespectful to the rights and dignity of the IDP victims. A number of challenges and issues remain for the post-conflict recovery and rehabilitation phase,” he stated.

Atar also questioned why ‘homegrown’ leaders were not consulted about the martial law declaration during that time, pointing to the heavy militarization as one of the major causes of the city’s destruction.

“The security sector used excessive power indiscriminately through aerial strike, cannon, and other similar weapons that devastated our properties, cultural sites, schools, business areas, and killing lives of many civilians,” he added.

International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines Chairperson Peter Murphy condemned the martial law declaration as a justification for the military’s actions during the siege.

“…The military didn’t care who they hit. And of course, that’s against the law. That’s against international law, it’s against Philippine law, and no one did anything to stop it. And as well as that, there’s the disproportionate use of force by the military in their operations.” 

The webinar featured a student-produced documentary “Kambalingan” from Communications students at MSU-Marawi, which portrayed the ongoing struggles of displaced families, especially those who have not been able to return.

Lumad youth advocate Angelika Moral urged the government to heed calls for justice and freedom ahead of the upcoming State of the Nation Address (SONA). 

“Dapat lang natin singilin ang gobyerno sa kapabayaan nila. Walong taon na rin ang nakalipas mula nang nangyari ang Marawi City pero wala pa rin pagbabago sa buhay ng mga IDPs,” Moral explained.

“Kaya sa darating na SONA, sabay nating ipanawagan ang hustisya at makabalik ang kapatid nating Moro sa kanilang tahanan at komunidad.”

The event was organized by student volunteers from MSU-Marawi, Kinaiyahan-Youth for Climate Justice, Mindanao Climate Justice (MCJ), and the PANAAD Network and took place via Zoom on July 19.