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LOOK: Life under martial law in Marawi neighbor Iligan City

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Patrick Quintos, ABS-CBN News

<div class="media-content"><div class="slider-for"><div><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/06/01/marawi-9952.jpg"/></div><div><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/06/01/marawi-9954.jpg"/></div><div><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/06/01/marawi-9979.jpg"/></div><div><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/06/01/20170529-martial-law-checkpoint-8-jc.jpg"/></div><div><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/06/01/20170529-martial-law-checkpoint-6-jc.jpg"/></div><div><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/06/01/20170529-martial-law-checkpoint-4-jc.jpg"/></div><div><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/06/01/20170527-iligan-martial-law-1-jc.jpg"/></div><div><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/06/01/20170527-iligan-martial-law-6-jc.jpg"/></div><div><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/06/01/20170527-iligan-martial-law-8-jc.jpg"/></div><div><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/06/01/20170527-iligan-martial-law-5-jc.jpg"/></div><div><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/06/01/20170527-iligan-martial-law-4-jc.jpg"/></div><div><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/06/01/20170527-iligan-martial-law-10-jc.jpg"/></div><div><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/06/01/20170527-iligan-martial-law-9-jc.jpg"/></div></div><div class="media-content slider-desc"><div class="item-desc"><p>Residents from Marawi City stop for a vehicle search at a checkpoint on the road to Iligan City.</p><cite>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</cite></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Evacuees walk to a checkpoint on the road to Iligan City from Marawi on Thursday.</p><cite>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</cite></div><div class="item-desc"><p>A police officer directs evacuees to a checkpoint where they inspect their bags and baggage on the road to Iligan City from Marawi on Thursday.</p><cite>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</cite></div><div class="item-desc"><p>A man passes by a military armored vehicle along the route to Iligan city where a military and police checkpoint was put up.</p><cite>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</cite></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Military and police officers inspect vehicles and people entering Iligan City from neighboring towns.</p><cite>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</cite></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Military and police officers inspect vehicles and people entering Iligan City from neighboring towns.</p><cite>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</cite></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Police officers carry long firearms as they patrol the streets of Iligan City before curfews hours.</p><cite>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</cite></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Police officers remind motorists and commuters about curfew hours as they do the nightly &quot;rekoridos.&quot;</p><cite>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</cite></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Police officers remind motorists and commuters about curfew hours as they do the nightly &quot;rekoridos.&quot;</p><cite>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</cite></div><div class="item-desc"><p>People rushing home as curfew nears in Iligan City.</p><cite>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</cite></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Business establishments usually operating 24 hours are forced to close early due to curfew hours implemented under martial law in Mindanao.</p><cite>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</cite></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Police approach woman reportedly making a scene on the street just a few minutes before curfew hours begin.</p><cite>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</cite></div><div class="item-desc"><p>When the clock strikes 10:00 p.m., the streets of Iligan City are almost empty as cops continue patrols.</p><cite>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</cite></div></div></div><p>ILIGAN CITY - Soldiers, military trucks and checkpoints have become a regular sight in this city just about 30 kilometers from conflict-torn Marawi, as martial law remains in effect in Mindanao.</p><p>This city south of the Philippines has been a place of refuge for most Marawi City residents escaping clashes between government forces and terrorists, where more than a hundred people, including at least 19 civilians have been killed.</p><p>Checkpoints mounted by both the police and military on different entry and exit points in Iligan City have been very strict, requiring passengers on almost every vehicle to come out for inspection.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/multimedia/infographic/05/26/17/dos-and-donts-of-martial-law">READ: Do&#x27;s and Don&#x27;ts of Martial Law</a></li></ul><p>Despite increased visibility of security forces in this city, residents continued to go about their daily lives, trying to go on business as usual but with a heavy heart.</p><p>Lisa (not her real name), a businesswoman, said her relatives from Marawi City have been staying at their home here since the fighting erupted.</p><p>She broke into tears while sharing how sad she felt seeing her loved ones down, when they were supposed to be happy at the start of Ramadan.</p><p>&quot;Hindi ako nagtatanong pero alam ko worried sila. Gusto na nga nilang bumalik para i-check &#x27;yung mga gamit nila pero mahirap ma-caught pa sila sa situation doon,&quot; she told ABS-CBN News last Saturday.</p><p>(I don&#x27;t ask them questions but I know they are worried. Actually, they already want to go back to check on their properties, but it&#x27;s really hard to get caught up in the situation there.)</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/28/17/ramadan-sa-panahon-ng-kaguluhan">READ: Ramadan in the time of conflict</a></li></ul><p>Lisa manages her husband&#x27;s gasoline station in Iligan City. They usually open 24 hours, but because martial law has been in effect, they must close shop before 10:00 p.m., the start of the six-hour curfew.</p><div><strong>WHEN THE CLOCK STRIKES 10 P.M.</strong></div><p>Just like Lisa&#x27;s gasoline station, other establishments like restaurants, cafes, pharmacies and other businesses usually operating round-the-clock or until late at night have to close early, usually by 9:00 p.m.</p><p>Employees who live far from their workplace have to rush to get a ride home quickly as public utility drivers also hurry back to their garages.</p><p>At the Iligan City Police Headquarters, cops in full battle gear would get ready at 9:30 p.m. for the &quot;rekoridos,&quot; or their nightly rounds on the city&#x27;s busiest streets to remind residents of the curfew.</p><p>An ABS-CBN News team who tagged along with the rekoridos saw people on foot or in their vehicles trying to beat the 10:00 p.m. curfew. As 10:00 p.m. neared, random police checkpoints began to appear on the streets.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><div id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1_Container"> <ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-vid="1452871" data-ivs-floating="1"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js"></script> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script> </div></figure><p>The team caught up with cops conducting searches on vehicles passing by an intersection, where the night scene would have been alive if not for martial law.</p><p>PO2 Cryster John Biaoco, one of the officers conducting the searches, said this martial law was different from the military rule during the Marcos regime, as the implementation gave consideration to the people.</p><p>&quot;May iba galing sa trabaho so binibigyan namin ng consideration. Pag alas-10:00 na, sinisita. Pero pag may ID go,&quot; he said. &quot;Pag &#x27;yung mga nahuli namin na walang maipakitang identification, dinadala namin sa station.&quot;</p><p>(Some people are just coming out from work so we&#x27;re giving them consideration. If it&#x27;s 10:00 p.m., we&#x27;ll still call their attention. But if they can present an ID, we&#x27;ll let them go. But those who could not present any identification, we bring them to the station.)</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/multimedia/slideshow/05/26/17/safeguards-under-martial-law-post-edsa">READ: Safeguards under martial law post-EDSA</a></li></ul><p>The Iligan City Police said they would only hold curfew violators in the headquarters until morning, but explained that those rounded up are not detained.</p><p>Most of the residents said they were okay with the curfew so far, as they felt more secure amid the conflict in Marawi City. This even as some admitted that they would feel a little worried whenever they saw military trucks and soldiers around the city.</p><p>Just last Sunday, as the Marawi clashes entered its sixth day, security forces enforced stricter searches for people coming from the conflict-stricken city, as reports surfaced that terrorists were trying to blend in with the evacuees going to Iligan.</p><p>Alex Aduca, chief of the Philippine Army&#x27;s 4th Mechanized Infantry Battalion, said evacuees would be sent to &quot;consolidation and processing areas&quot; as the military enforced stricter measures to prevent a spillover of the Marawi conflict.</p>

<p>Soldiers, military trucks and checkpoints have become a regular sight in this city, just about 30 kilometers from conflict-torn Marawi, as martial law remains in effect in Mindanao.</p>

Soldiers, military trucks and checkpoints have become a regular sight in this city, just about 30 kilometers from conflict-torn Marawi, as martial law remains in effect in Mindanao.

LOOK: Life under martial law in Marawi neighbor Iligan City

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LOOK: Life under martial law in Marawi neighbor Iligan City

Patrick Quintos,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 01, 2017 01:38 PM PHT

|

Updated June 01, 2017 03:32 PM PHT

Read More:

marawi clash

iligan city

martial law

mindanao

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