Rival Moro clans clash anew in NoCot

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 25): Rival Moro clans clash anew in NoCot

Warring Moro clans in a remote village here started trading bullets anew and sent villagers fleeing, officials said Tuesday.

Supt. Bernard Tayong, Midsayap town police chief, said the warring armed groups include the group of Commander Rene Tukuran and Peng Lakiman, village chair of Barangay Lumupog.

Both are locked in long standing family feud, more known as “rido”, that already flared up in the past and claimed lives from both sides.

Tukuran was the village chair of Nabalawag who went into hiding with his armed followers after the government tagged him as big time illegal drug peddler.

He eluded police and military law enforcement operations last year.

Now, he is back in the village and started harassing the group of Chairperson Lakiman.

The feuding groups traded shots since Sunday at the border of Barangays Nabalawag and Lumupog in Midsayap.

Tukuran, also known “Commander Renz,” wanted to regain control of vast track of farming areas where he used to extort farmers during harvest season and harassing them when ignored.

Local officials said followers of Chairperson Lakiman peacefully prevented the group of Commander Renz from roaming around the village but were fired at instead, triggering exchange of sporadic shots.

Elements of the 34th Infantry Battalion and Midsayap police had been deployed in the village to prevent violence from igniting anew.

Meanwhile, law enforcement against Commander Renz, who has arrest warrants for illegal drugs and other crimes, continues, police said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1002810