- 16 MSU students bused to Davao safely after terror attack
SIXTEEN students of Mindanao State University-Marawi (MSU) arrived at City Hall grounds safely on Tuesday morning, Dec. 5.
Three students are from Davao City; two are from Digos; three from Davao de Oro with one from Mawab, Pantukan (1); Monkayo (2); five from Tagum, Davao del Norte, one from Malita, Davao Occidental, and one from Lupon, Davao Oriental.
21-year-old Kiera (who asked to keep her real name confidential), a fourth-year/ graduating political science student, can’t help but feel emotional as she thanked the city government.
Kiera felt lucky that she decided to forego attending a mass that morning when a bomb ripped through the Dimaporo gym on Dec. 3, killing four and injuring 50 others.
“Pagka-gabii nag-study ko unya pagka-ugma na-late ko og mata nya ang nipukaw ra sa akoa, sabay sa akong paghuna-huna nga kinahanglan nako mosimba, ang balita nga gibombahan ang gymnasium,” she said.
Marie, Kiera’s older sister, expressed delight when she saw her sister again after a very long time while the student was in MSU. However, her apprehensions surfaced when asked if she wanted to send her sister back to Marawi to finish her studies.
“Kung naa gyud untay bisan i-set up na lang nga blended learning, dili na lang sa moadto didtoa kay syempre init pa kaayo ag panahon ron sa panghitabo, mas maayo nga sa balay nalang unta, dili sa paadtoon balik (I hoped they will introduce blended learning because of the dangerous times. It’s better that he just stay her in our home),” she added.
Harvey James Lanticse, City Information Office chief, said they coordinated with the local government of Marawi following a communication received by the City Mayor’s Office on Sunday evening about Davaoeño students who wished to go home.
“Through Peace 911 and Task Force Davao, nag-coordinate ta didto, aron mahan-ay ang pag uli sa mga estudyante,” Lanticse said in an ambush interview at City Hall grounds.
Task Force Davao (TFD) commander, Col. Darren Comia, said all coordinations have been made to bring the students back to the city safely.
“With proper coordination in the ground, medyo challenging siya because of what happened in Marawi, but of course all coordinations have been made, nalatag natin prior sa pag-alis ng bus, kahapon mino-monitor natin ang convoy hanggang makapasok ng Marawi, hanggang makalabas at ngayong araw na ito,” he said.
Engr. William Masiga, MSU Alumni Association Davao Chapter president, welcomed the students to provide comfort and advice.
“I was once a student, in spite of the difficult situation in MSU, we sacrificed just for the sake of education. It’s so sad, what happened in MSU right now,” he said.
Masiga stressed the bombing is “a very horrific, gruesome and senseless killing that should be denounced and condemned in the strongest word.”
The local government of Davao through the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) had set up a team in the city hall training area to assess the medical condition of the students and prepare psychosocial workers to de-brief them.
After the debriefing, they will be fetched by service vehicles from local government units (LGUs) to send them to their respective municipalities.
