MARAWI CITY – A senior official of Department of Social Welfare and Development denied Wednesday alleged prostitution reports among women from this Islamic City who were displaced in the five-month fighting between government security forces and pro-Islamic State.

Bai Zorahayda T. Taha, regional director of DSWD 12, said that social workers have conducted investigation about the issue and it turned out negative.

“Our workers were able to talk to camp managers in the evacuation centers in the cities of Marawi and Iligan and they have no reports,” Dir. Taha said.

A report earlier came out from the media disclosed that some displaced women were forced into prostitution due to lack off source of income as their livelihood were disrupted by the conflict.

“We are monitoring and we have 289 women volunteers now engage in religious activities in evacuation camps,” Dir. Taha said.

She said the office also provided five-day cash for work for 289 women led by Aleema Asliah Mostagbal.

At the evacuation centers of Buru-un Fisheries and Maria Christina in Iligan City the reported prostitution turned out negative.

Liza Mije, camp manager at Maria Christina, said she heard about the report but upon verifying there was no case in the camp.

“I only learned the case when someone asks me also but i check and found out negative,” Mije said.

Dir. Taha said local officials of Lanao del Sur have formed a team task to probe the alleged prostitution. (End)