‘Duterte wants Marawi rehab fast-tracked’

MANILA, Philippines — Despite allegations that the rebuilding of Marawi is moving slowly, President Duterte is satisfied with the rehabilitation work in the war-torn city, but wants the process to be faster, Malacañang said yesterday.

It has been three years since the government liberated Marawi from Maute terrorists, who stormed the city in May 2017.

The Mautes are sympathetic to the international terrorist group Islamic State.

Critics have been complaining about the alleged slow implementation of projects intended to rebuild the city.

The Marawi Reconstruction Conflict Watch, a group that monitors the progress of the rehabilitation effort, said most of the residents have not been allowed to return home.

The group said thousands remain in evacuation shelters and housing projects that are in dire condition.

“There is no real liberation to speak of as the progress of the rehabilitation is slow and funds for the projects are lacking,” the group said.

In a press briefing, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the President is satisfied with the rehabilitation work, but would appreciate it if it would be hastened.

Roque said he would ask Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Eduardo del Rosario about concerns that some Marawi residents are still prevented from returning to their homes.

Del Rosario earlier said the government aims to finish 90 percent of the Marawi projects by December next year.

The funding requirement for the rehabilitation of Marawi is about P60.5 billion.

Up to 1,000 Maute terrorists and 160 soldiers and police officers were killed during the five-month siege, the longest urban warfare in the Philippines since World War II.

The conflict prompted Duterte to place the entire Mindanao under martial law for more than two years.

Data shows up to 360,000 people were displaced during the siege.