By Arthur L. Eamiguel
PAGADIAN
CITY – In an effort to establish peace and unity among warring Muslim
families, the 51st (FUERTE-UNO) battalion in coordination with
Philippine National Police members of Malabang, Lanao del Sur on
Saturday has pacified a days long “rido” or family feud between warring
clans in said municipality.
The warring families identified as Halil-Albana, both from Balindong’s clan.
As
the fighting intensified at 9am, the Bravo Company under 1st Lt. Ronald
E. Dacawi and 1st Lt. Julius S Yasay, conducted clearing operations at
Brgy. BPS together with PNP personnel under P/Insp Benjie A. Umalla of
Malabang Police Station.
51IB
commanding officer Lt. Col. Ceasar Marlon M. Yadao said the military
employed two Simba Fighting Vehicles that fired volleys of warning shots
which effectively broke the armed confrontation and forced the
belligerents to flee leaving behind several war materials on the
encounter site.
Yadao
said the “rido” or family feud was fueled on August 25 in a separate
shooting incident at Brgy. Jas which claimed the life of Jamil “Mel mel”
Datumanong, a relative of Halil Balindong family.
Incidentally,
the belligerent party accused of perpetrating the crime belongs to the
Albana Balindong family, also a relative. This flared the successive
armed confrontations between the Halil-Albana group on the afternoon of
Aug. 25 and Aug. 27 at Brgy. BPS, the bulwark of Albana, he added.
The
armed confrontations, Yadao said has caused panic particularly on
civilian commuters taking the Cotabato-Malabang-Marawi route and nearby
residents, according to 1st Lt. Emil Charlie B. Jaudian, CMO Officer of
51st IB.
“We
initiated talks for a peaceful settlement with representatives of the
warring groups to settle their conflict on Aug. 27”. This meeting
transpired in the presence of Hon. Mamintal “Bombil” A. Adiong,
Provincial Governor of Lanao del Sur, together with the LGUs of the 2nd
Discitrict in Lanao del Sur and Col. Ricardo R. Visaya, Commander of
104th Infantry Brigade”, Yadao said.
“The
members of AFP can help solve your differences through peaceful
negotiations and should not be solved under the barrel of a gun. We are
here to protect you preserve a peaceful environment”, Yadao explained to
the civilians after the AFP-PNP intercession.
Meanwhile,
1st Infantry (TABAK) Division commander Maj. Gen. Noel A. Coballes
expressed the need for collaboration with Maranao cultural and religious
leaders to help solve this prevalent and endemic “Rido” violence which
affect the peace and order situation in some parts of Mindanao.
(JPA/AFP/GCC/PIA9-Pagadian City).