Warring MILF groups clash in Maguindanao

From the Manila Bulletin (Jan 19): Warring MILF groups clash in Maguindanao

Warring members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) locked in long standing family feud, clashed late Saturday after one MILF commander attacked a sub-village here, local and military officials said today.

Reports reaching the 6th Infantry Division Public affairs unit (DPAO) said the clash started at about 10:30 p.m. sending villagers fleeing to safer grounds.

According to Shariff Aguak Municipal Secretary Hadji Yasser Ampatuan, the attackers belonged to a sub-group of the MILF’s 105th Base Command under a certain Commander Tamano.

Residents told local military officials that the firefight Saturday erupted after Tamano’s group tried to arrest a suspect in the village.

The group apparently wanted to prove to authorities it could arrest the suspect, wanted for a 1998 murder case, even without an arrest warrant.

Although they knew the suspect, the residents told media they preferred not to give names for fear of retaliation.

The group whom Tamano’s men engaged with was also heavily armed.

Gov. Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) told reporters that he happened to pass by Shariff Aguak at around 3:30 p.m. Saturday or hours before the conflict started.

http://www.mb.com.ph/warring-milf-groups-clash-in-maguindanao/