Lanao Sur warring clans settle dispute

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 23): Lanao Sur warring clans settle dispute

Twenty-four high-powered firearms were turned over to government authorities by two feuding families in Lanao del Sur that peacefully settled their five-decade old conflict locally known as “rido.”

The peaceful settlement was held on Monday at the headquarters of the Army’s 103rd Infantry Brigade in Marawi City.

The settlement between the families of Tugaya Mayor Al Fatah Pacalna Balindong and Bacolod-Kalawi Vice Mayor Jafar Dipatuan was witnessed by top military and local government officials.

The weapons surrendered included two caliber .50 sniper “Barret” rifles, six M-14 rifles, seven M-16 Armalite rifles, four M-203 grenade launchers, three M-79 grenade launchers, one caliber .30 machine gun and, one caliber .30 Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR).

“The two families surrendered 24 high-powered firearms to symbolize their resolve to put an end to the long-time violent family feud,” Col. Generoso Ponio, Army’s 103rd Infantry Brigade commander, said.

“The end to the violent family feud happened when the two heads of the families swore in the Holy Qur’an to settle their rido,” Ponio, who led the settlement of the feud, added.

Maj. Gen. Roseller Murillo, Army’s 1st Infantry Division commander, congratulated the two parties involved in the peaceful settlement of the decades old violent family feud.

Murillo said the most recent incident involving the two families was the shooting of one of the scions of the Dipatuan Clan in a busy commercial area of Iligan City on November 13, 2017 and the wounding of four and the displacement of more than 200 families when an hour-long gun-battle between the clans erupted last January 5 in Bacolod-Kalawi town.

Murillo also commended the 103rd Infantry Brigade for the successful mediation that led to the peaceful settlement of a violent family feud that has cost the lives of many from both sides and affected the peace in the area for so many years.

“We will continue to maintain an active stance on this particular issue and we will not stop until we reach a closure on all existing rido, may it be peacefully or aggressively,” Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief, said.

The peaceful settlement of the feud between the two families was achieved with the active participation of the Lanao del Sur Vice Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr., the provincial police units, religious leaders, local government, and, other members of civil society.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1022520