Tension have simmered down in a remote village in Palimbang,
Sultan Kudarat after an emissary of the Sultanate of Maguindanao was sent to
pacify the warring members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF),
officials said.
Senior Insp. Romeo Calamba, Palimbang police chief, said
while fighting between the group of Brian Andi of the MILF 104th base command
and 105th base commander Bondi Binago have slowed down, civilians displaced by
the armed conflict that started Friday last week still refuse to return home.
Datu Muamar Mastura, a local tribal leader of Palibang, told
Catholic-run Radio DXMS that Maguindanao Sultan Salem Abdulaziz Guiwan Mastura
Kudarat V, has already sent mediators to prevent the armed followers of both
MILF leaders from engaging in shooting war.
"Sultan Kudarat V has already sent mediators to both
sides who are incidentally were relatives by blood and by affinity,"
Mastura said.
He said followers of Andi and Binago have re-positioned back
to their respective areas.
As initial agreement, both sides will move back its forces
away from each other, about five kilometers away so they will not be seeing
each other, Mastura added.
The conflict started when elements of 104th base command,
under Andi attacked the position of Commander Binago to retaliate the death of
Kadil Kongo, a member of 104th base command allegedly by followers of Binago.
Mastura said the MILF also formed a ceasefire committee to
discuss mechanism so the conflict can be avoided in the future.
At least eight persons were killed, four from both sides,
following the skirmishes Friday last week that ended only Monday morning.
Calamba said the police did not interfere in the armed
conflict to allow leaders of both sides to mediate and for the GPH-MILF ceasefire
mechanism to work.
At least 550 families have been displaced by the conflict
and the municipal social welfare and development have already extended
assistance to the evacuees.
Calama was hoping normalcy will return very soon in
Barangays Napnapan and Kanipaan.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=794367
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