NGO helping Maguindanao IDPs vow to continue mandate despite grenade attack on its office
• 22:19 PM Thu Feb 25, 2016
1,205
By:
Edwin O. Fernandez
(One of the activities of MTB, feeding children displaced by armed conflct in Maguindanao. (Photo from mindanaotulongbakwet.blogspot.com)
COTABATO CITY – A non government organization working for the welfare of families displaced
by armed conflict in Maguindanao has condemned the recent grenade attack on its
office but vowed to continue performing its mandate.
For the past 13
years, Mindanao Tulong Bakwet, Inc, also known as MTB, has been serving internally
displaced persons (IDPs) affected by both human-induced and natural disasters
in Mindanao through relief distribution, food rationing, psychosocial
intervention on affected civilians and providing temporary shelter.
It is a non
partisan, non governmental and non-profit origination that has the mandate to
uplift and look after the welfare of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in
Mindanao during and post-disaster situation.
Unidentified
men lobbed a hand grenade at the MTB office in Cotabato City on Feb. 16 but
nobody was injured.
(It) has
caused remarkable fear and anguish to the personnel and staffs of the
organization. It challenged to shut down the operation of the MTB to continue
serve its mandate to the IDPs,” the MTB statement signed by Fr. Jonathan
Domingo of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate. Domingo chairs the MTB board.
He said the MTB
treats the incident not just an attack against the MTB but an attack against
all humanitarian service providers, human rights advocates andamp civil society
groups.”
The
Management of MTB furiously condemns the attack in the highest form!” Domingo
said.
Following the
grenade attack, anecdotal stories had surfaced putting political colors on the
incident.
MTB executive director
is Ms. Fairudz Ibrahim Ebus, wife of Vice Mayor Rasul N. Ebus.
MTB
categorically deny its involvement to any political agenda and or any hands on
the political activities of her husband in the municipality or vice versa,”
Domingo said.
To further
prevent the organization from being implicated to political issues, Ms. Ebus decided to step downand disengages herself to the day-to-day operation of
the organization effective March 1.
This
decision is being considered to further maintain the status of the MTB for
being a non-partisan organization,” Domingo said, adding that the members of
the board of directors named Ms. Hairen O. Anayatin as OIC director starting
March 1.
MTB also expressed support the investigation
on the bombing incident. We are also calling the authorities to immediately
resolve the case and hold the perpetrators accountable in the soonest possible
time,” Domingo said.