TWO members of a Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) community were killed and five others were injured in an attack staged by a group of armed men in Cotabato City early morning yesterday.
Cotabato City police chief Col. Querubin Manalang said about 20 suspects, reportedly led by one alias Sammy, strafed houses in Barangay Tamontaka II at around 1 a.m. while the victims were asleep.
“They targeted the houses early morning while the victims were asleep; they strafed (the houses) and escaped. It’s (a) sort of harassment actually,” said Manalang.
Manalang said the attack lasted for about 20 to 30 minutes, after which the gunmen escaped to Datu Odin Sinsuat, using boats to cross a river.
“According to them (MILF), it’s an MNLF camp but to us in the government, we call it MNLF community,” said Manalang, referring to the area that was attacked.
“Accordingly, two died and five were injured and brought to the hospital,” said Manalang.
The victims were not identified.
The MNLF signed a peace agreement with the government in 1996, ending decades of conflict between the two sides.
Maj. Gen. Roy Galido, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said the incident was due to rido or clan war.
“It’s related to a long-time rido. Such shooting incident is nothing new, it’s a law enforcement concern,” said Galido.
“We are investigating but definitely this is related to rido. What we’re trying to establish is to identify the specific (people involved),” said Galido.
Galido said the military and the police are exerting efforts to prevent the conflict from escalating.
“Right now, our concern is to prevent it from escalating, prevent the other group from retaliating… On the part of the AFP and PNP, we are exerting efforts to prevent counter actions because this is rido, this is nothing new in the area,” he said.
The military also announced the resolution of a conflict between Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) commander Rajan Abdulrahman and Mohammad Juddihal Muddalan, chairman of Barangay Parangbasak in Lamitan, Basilan who is affiliated with the MNLF.
