MARAWI CITY – Eight years after the 2017 siege reduced Marawi into ruins, echoes of war still reverberate through its streets. Families remain in makeshift shelters, children grow up without answers about missing parents, and unidentified bodies lie buried in unmarked graves at the Maqbara cemetery.
For Mirjana Spoljaric, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), these scars are a stark reminder that the consequences of armed conflict outlast the fighting. On her first official visit to the Philippines from August 19 to 21, 2025, Spoljaric traveled to Marawi to hear directly from survivors still grappling with loss and displacement.
She walked through transitory shelters, listened to families’ stories, and visited the cemetery where those who died unidentified rest. More than 300 families are still searching for loved ones who went missing during the conflict, while thousands remain unable to return to their homes.
“The effects of armed conflict can be felt for years, if not decades, after hostilities cease,” Spoljaric said. “It is possible and essential to bring the cases of the missing to a closure. Helping families find answers is vital for healing and recovery.”
Lives Interrupted
Among those Spoljaric met was a grandmother raising her grandchildren after her son disappeared during the fighting. Like many others, she still clings to the hope that one day, his fate will be clarified. For families like hers, the absence of answers is an ongoing wound, making recovery difficult.
Such stories highlight why international humanitarian law (IHL) is not just a set of abstract rules but a safeguard for dignity, even after conflict ends. Its obligations extend beyond the battlefield—protecting civilians, supporting displaced populations, and ensuring missing persons are accounted for.
From Ruins to Policy
After her time in Marawi, Spoljaric flew to Manila for high-level meetings with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., and Armed Forces Deputy Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Rommel Roldan. She also engaged with the Philippine Red Cross leadership.
Her discussions focused on the continuing relevance of the Geneva Conventions—the backbone of IHL—in reducing the human and economic costs of war. She praised the Philippines for its active role in advancing humanitarian law globally.
“The Philippines is an active supporter of IHL and is taking a leading role in global efforts to revitalise states’ commitment to these lifesaving rules,” Spoljaric said. “In a world where there are approximately 130 armed conflicts – many of high intensity – we need more states to consistently champion the rules of war to reduce suffering and preserve pathways back to peace.”
The Long Road to Healing
Spoljaric’s visit underscored two truths: first, that the humanitarian cost of war lingers far longer than battles themselves; and second, that global commitment to IHL is essential if civilians are to be spared similar suffering in the future.
The unmarked graves at Maqbara, the stories of families in limbo, and the empty lots where homes once stood are not only Marawi’s story. They are a reflection of what happens when conflict’s damage outlasts political settlements.
For the ICRC president, Marawi is both a cautionary tale and a call to action. Her visit reminded both leaders and communities that peace is not only about ending wars but also about honoring the missing, restoring dignity, and ensuring pathways to recovery.
As Spoljaric emphasized, the rules of war are not about restraining victory, but about preserving humanity—and helping war-torn communities find their way back to peace.