7 wounded in grenade explosion, gunfight in Philippines

From the Mindanao Examiner (Dec 19): 7 wounded in grenade explosion, gunfight in Philippines

Seven people were wounded in a grenade explosion and gun fight between warring families that erupted late Friday afternoon at a public market in the restive province of Maguindanao in the Muslim autonomous region in southern Philippines, the army said.

It said troops and policemen were pursuing one of the protagonists, Sauto Giti, of Campo Uno village in Maguindanao’s Matanog town who escaped following the violence in Parang town.

It was not immediately known what triggered the attack, but police were investigating the incident which is connected to clan war, according to Capt. Jo-ann Petinglay, a spokeswoman for the 6th Infantry Division.

She said at least 5 bullet casings of 9mm pistol and the grenade’s safety lever were recovered in the area. “There is an ongoing operation to track down the perpetrator of this attack,” Petinglay told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.

Petinglay said the wounded were rushed to hospital. She identified the wounded as Jamila Tomas, Abdullah Tomas, Saima Raoro, Salahodin Tomas, Camlon Raoro, Sirikit Magayan and another individual who name is only Locman.

Clan war or locally known as “rido” is common in many parts of the Muslim autonomous region and the U.S. Agency for International Development and think-tank Asia Foundation said that more than 3,000 people had been killed in over the past seven decades in family feuds.

Rido can involve disputes among family members or among two or more rival families, pitting neighbors or different ethnic groups against each other. The disputes center on issues of land, money, marriage or political power and involve revenge killings.

The violence increases with each act of retaliation, broadening to include those not directly involved in the dispute, including women and children, according to the Asia Foundation, adding, some feuds lasted for decades.

http://www.mindanaoexaminer.net/2014/12/7-wounded-in-grenade-explosion-gunfight.html