Decade-long rido in Lanao del Norte settled

From InterAksyon (Mar 5): Decade-long rido in Lanao del Norte settled

 

File photo of rido fighters in Maguindanao forest by Nonoy Espina.

TUBOD, Lanao del Norte - A rido, or blood feud, lasting more than a decade between the two Maranaw clans of Tawan-tawan of Salvador town and Asis of Sapad municipality of Lanao del Norte was finally settled on February 28 at the  Philippine National Police Headquarters command in Pigcarangan.

Witnessed by political and religious leaders, military and police officers from the two Lanao provinces, the two feuding parties, represented by Mayor Hassanor Tawan-tawan of Salvador and Mayor Paruk Asis of Sapad pledged and agreed to settle, respect and forget the past before the Quoran and signed the peace  covenant without having to exact blood money.

Police Senior Superintendent Madid Maricor Paitao, the provincial police director, recalled that the feud broke out some time in January 2004, after Macaradat Tawan-tawan, a provincial government employee under the Provincial Community Affairs Office (PCAO) was shot and killed by an unidentified assailant along the national highway of Maranding, Lala town while on his way to the the provincial capitol.

Macaradat allegedly had an intense dispute with one of the family members of the Asis clan.

In an exclusive interview on Tuesday morning, Provincial Governor and Region 10 Development Council Chair Mohammad Khalid Q. Dimaporo said: "We are happy and elated that the two families of Tawan-tawan and Asis have finally come to terms and settled their "rido".

Gov. Dimaporo said, "It is a big milestone for us here in Lanao del Norte, because these two families are two very strong leaders in their respective municipalities."

Dimaporo added that, "at the height of the rido there was difficulty  administering not only the development programs of the province but also in maintaining peace and order in the respective localities."

"If there was a problem in Salvador and Sapad, I could not meet with both mayors at the same time. I had to go Sapad first, then to Salvador."

At least now, with the settlement of the feud, things can now move forward more readily," Dimaporo said.

The Provincial Board had created a Committee on Rido Settlement chaired by Provincial Board member lawyer Superman Omar Osop, Dimaporo disclosed.

Congresswoman Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo of the First Congressional District, was among the key leaders who witnessed the settlement. She said the settlement of the family feud "will be carried over from generation to generation".

"The are still few more instances of rido in the process of being settled but we are confident these will be resolved with the help of our local leaders," Dimaporo said.

Col. Gilbert I. Gapay, commanding officer of 2nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade based in Maria Cristina in Iligan City, said "the military is committed to support the rido settlement in order to help build a culture of peace."

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/106328/decade-long-rido-in-lanao-del-norte-settled