Army settles Moro clan wars in North Cotabato

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 25): Army settles Moro clan wars in North Cotabato

Two warring Moro leaders in North Cotabato have signed a peace covenant ending their family feud the flared up Thursday last week and left two persons dead.

Capt. Antonio Bulao, speaking for the military's 602nd Infantry Brigade based in Carmen, North Cotabato, said Commander Embang of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and village chairman Teng Kilangan of Barangay Kilangan, Pagalungan, Maguindanao, who were engaged in a "rido" or clan war several years ago, signed the peace covenant.

Bulao said the signing came after the military mediated in the long standing family feud between Commander Embang and Chairman Kilangan over large track of land.

The peace covenant signing was witnessed by local leaders and followers of the warring clans and officials of the 602nd brigade, the GPH-MILF coordinating committee on the cessation of hostilities and military officials.

On Thursday last week, Bulao said the warring groups traded bullets the left one fatality from each side. Seven others from both sides were wounded.

Bulao said both Commander Embang and Chairman Kilangan were claiming ownership of a five-hectare farm planted with rice and other fruit bearing trees in the village of Kibines, Carmen, North Cotabato.

The peace covenant clearly said that both sides should not resort to violence and prevent their followers from engaging in armed conflict. Both sides also vowed to bring the dispute before concerned government agencies for peaceful settlement.

The military learned that the warring groups are actually related by blood and by affinity.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=501169