Sunday, August 16, 2015

Land dispute triggers murder of village chair in North Cotabato - PNP

From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 16): Land dispute triggers murder of village chair in North Cotabato - PNP
 
A long standing family feud that stemmed from territorial dispute triggered the murder Friday of a village chair in Pikit, North Cotabato, police said.

According to Senior Inspector Sindatu Karim, Pikit police chief, initial investigation showed a long standing family feud was believed behind the killing of Chairperson Dhats Simon of Barangay Bulol, Pikit and his escort-relative Akmad Bantas.

“The gunmen were known to Chairman Simon and he was the real target," Karim said, adding that the suspects used high powered firearms to ensure the village official is killed.

According to Karim, Chairman Simon had sought police and military assistance after he received threats from his family rivals who are incidentally affiliated with armed groups operating in his village.

But due to lack of police personnel, Simon was forced to allow his relative as escort-bodyguard. He was identified as Dats Bantas.

Karim was driving his motorbike with his escorts backriding on their way home at past 2:30 p.m. when ambushed by five armed men along a dirt road in Barangay Gli-Gli, Pikit.

Karim said the gunmen used M-16 Armalite rifle based on the 37 empty shells recovered by responding policemen in the crime scene.

Family feud, locally known as "rido," is among the deterrent in attaining local peace in most of Mindanao areas where Moro people reside.

It is a culture peace advocates in Mindanao were trying to address through peaceful means and through development.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=793876

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