Feuding MNLF, MILF families clash in North Cotabato town, leaving 1 dead, 90 others displaced

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 16): Feuding MNLF, MILF families clash in North Cotabato town, leaving 1 dead, 90 others displaced

Armed members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) clashed Sunday in Matalam town, this province, leaving one person dead and causing about 90 other individuals to leave their homes for safer grounds, the police said.

Senior Inspector Jojit Nicolas, speaking for the North Cotabato provincial police office, said the fighting was triggered by a long-standing family feud involving Moro families who happened to have relatives in both fronts.

Citing initial report, Nicolas said Mintato Galangan, a resident of Barangay Manubuan, Matalam, Cotabato was hit by stray bullets. He died before reaching a hospital in Poblacion Matalam.

Nicolas said the clashes, which took Sunday morning and another in the afternoon, involved followers of MILF Commander Marsagar and MNLF Commander Sandab, both with about 100 armed followers.

Nicolas said Galangan was harvesting banana when an alleged member of the MNLF showed up and fired at him.

The incident was followed by a retaliatory attack from the group of Commander Marsagar, triggering a 30-minute firefight.

Displaced families are now housed at the town gymnasium.

The MNLF and MILF forces in the village of Manubuan have been at odds over territorial dispute after the MILF wanted to establish a camp in MNLF-identified communities.

Following the incident, policemen and soldiers have been deployed along portions of the Kidapawan City-Matalam highway to prevent the conflict from reaching the national highway and disrupting the flow of traffic.

Barangay Manubuan is about a kilometer away from the main highway.

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