Volcano Evacuation Ordered

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Disaster authorities here gave stubborn villagers, living near the volcano's danger zone, until 12 midnight to move to safer ground or face force evacuation to their designated holding areas as Mt. Mayon's imminent eruption nears.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said to follow the midnight ultimatum, a 24 hour curfew would be enforce in the 6 Km Permanent Danger Zones and up to the 8 Km extended danger zone in the southeast quadrant of the volcano.

The measure would be a persuasive and enforced strategy to bring the people to safer grounds, he said.

The imposition of the force evacuation deadline and curfew inside the danger zone was in respond to reports that defiant villagers continue to do their farming and household choirs despite the dangers posed by restive Mayon volcano.

Salceda said upon the raising of Mayon's Alert Level to 3, the 6Km PDZ and up to the 8Km EDZ were declared as "No Man?s Land," meaning no person would be allowed to stay or enter the designate danger zones.

Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales on Wednesday reiterated the order and directed military authorities manning the nine checkpoints around the danger zone to strictly enforce the "no man's land" rule as a preemptive measure to attain a "Zero Casualty" target during the impending Mayon eruption.

Salceda, during an emergency meeting, said the order would include tourist, and media outfits covering the Mayon impending eruption

Reports said that print and broadcast journalist and photographers from major broadcast, print networks and foreign wire services were sighted making their interviews and photo shoots inside the "off limits" zones, defying the standing order.

Salceda directed Army Col. Marlou Salazar, commanding officer of the 901st Army Infantry Brigade and team leader of the AFP joint Task Force Mayon, to strictly implement the ?no man?s land? order.

On the request of Salceda, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on Thursday passed a resolution declaring villages near the danger zones to be on a 24-hours curfew, this will keep away villagers to enter and do their farming activities in the area.

The PDCC also consulted with the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) concerning the imposition of the ultimatum and curfew orders.

PDCC records show that as of 5 p.m. Thursday, 7,103 families or about 33,833 people were housed in various evacuation camps in the towns of Malilipot, Sto Domingo, Daraga, Camalig, Guinobatan and the cities of Legazpi, Ligao and Tabaco.

The figure represents 72 percent of the 10,000 families targeted to be evacuated within the 72 hours period, which ended 12 midnight Thursday.

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