Nearly seven years after the 2017 siege of Marawi, traces of the city’s destruction remain visible, and the grief of families searching for the missing remains raw.

President Mirjana Spoljaric of the International Committee of the Red Cross traveled last week to the heart of the former battleground, where she met families still struggling with the consequences of the conflict. She visited a transitory shelter for displaced residents and the Maqbara cemetery, where unidentified human remains are buried.

More than 300 families are still searching for relatives who vanished during the fighting, and thousands of people remain displaced from their homes.

“The impact of armed conflict can last for years, even decades, after the fighting stops,” Ms. Spoljaric said. “It is possible and essential to bring closure for the missing. The ICRC will continue working with authorities and families to clarify the fate of their loved ones. Helping them find answers is vital for healing and recovery.”

At the Maqbara cemetery, two women walked side by side, both still searching. Marivic Asis wiped away tears with a cloth as she held a pink umbrella; she has been looking for her brother since the conflict. Beside her was Litisia Palahang, who continues to seek her son. Both women shared with Ms. Spoljaric the difficulties faced by families of the missing.

Reaffirming humanitarian law in Manila

In Manila, Ms. Spoljaric met with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and senior Philippine officials to underline the continuing importance of international humanitarian law (IHL). She stressed that the Geneva Conventions remain essential even when hostilities cease, helping to limit the human and economic costs of war.

Her discussions included meetings with Maria Theresa Lazaro, undersecretary of foreign affairs; Gilberto Teodoro Jr., secretary of national defense; and Lt. Gen. Rommel Roldan, deputy chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. She also engaged with the Philippine Red Cross leadership.

“The Philippines is an active supporter of IHL and is taking a leading role in global efforts to revitalize states’ commitment to these lifesaving rules,” Ms. Spoljaric said. “In a world where roughly 130 armed conflicts are ongoing — many of them highly intense — we need more states to champion the rules of war to reduce suffering and preserve pathways back to peace.”

Reference: ICRC