2 warring clans in Sulu town settle dispute

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 3, 2021): 2 warring clans in Sulu town settle dispute (By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.)

CLAN FEUD SETTLED. Hadji Yusop Latip, patriach of the two Latip brothers who died in the armed confrontation on March 27, signs the amicable settlement to prevent conflict in their community on June 2, 2021. The military, police, and municipal government of Talipao, Sulu successfully settled the dispute of two warring clans of Latip and Muallam. (Photo courtesy of the 2nd Special Forces Battalion)

Government and military officials are optimistic that progress and development will now take place as they successfully settled a family feud in a remote barangay in the town of Talipao, Sulu.

The feud involving the family of Latip and Muallam was amicably settled Wednesday through the efforts of the Army’s 2nd Special Forces Battalion (2SFBn), police, and municipal government of Talipao.

Lt. Col. Jooney Jay Busiños, 2SFBn commander, said Thursday that the dispute between the Latip and Muallam families was triggered by “an unfortunate event” in Barangay Upper Binuang, Talipao on March 27.

Busiños, in a statement, said the incident led to a gun battle that resulted in the death of three persons, including the barangay chairperson of Upper Binuang and his brother.

The feud, he said, halted the construction of a road network connecting Upper and Lower Binuang.

Initial talks were made to contain the conflict on May 24 at Barangay Upper Binuang, Talipao with elements of the 2SFBn and Sulu Provincial Police Office, and Talipao municipal government.

“As the father of this municipality, we will, by any means, resolve conflict in the most peaceful way in accordance with the teachings of Islam. Violence has no place in Islam,” the 2SFBn quoted Talipao Mayor Nivocadnezar Tulawie to have said when they settled the dispute Wednesday at the town hall.

“With the successful settlement, the road network project will resume, taking the municipality a step further in development,” Busiños said, adding that settlement as a welcome development.

He added: “As we move towards progress and development, let us not use force and violence to spoil our hard-earned peace. Let us allow harmony and understanding to reign.”

Brig. Gen. Antonio Bautista Jr., 1101st Infantry Brigade commander, said the peaceful resolution of the conflict is a “step in the right direction.”

“Walang ibang naghahangad ng kapayapaan kundi ang ating kasundaluhan at kapulisan. Walang magandang maidudulot sa atin ang karahasan, lalo na't nasa isang pamayanan lang tayo. Lahat tayo dito ay Pilipino - lahat tayo magkakapatid (Our soldiers’ and police’s only hope is peace. Violence brings nothing good. We are all brothers and sisters as Filpinos),” Bautista said.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1142522

Passenger torches bus; 3 dead

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 3, 2021): Passenger torches bus; 3 dead (By Edwin Fernandez) 

BUS ON FIRE. Black smoke rises from a burning YBL bus torched by a passenger while it was traveling to M’lang, North Cotabato on Thursday afternoon. Three unidentified passengers perished in incident suspected to be the handiwork of Al Khobar extortion group. (Photo courtesy of DXND Kidapawan)

A still unidentified man on Thursday set ablaze a passenger bus in M’lang, North Cotabato, leaving three passengers charred beyond recognition.

The YBL bus was bound for M’lang, North Cotabato from this city at about 4 p.m. when one of its passengers stood up, pulled a container, and splashed gasoline on the rear side of the bus while it was traveling somewhere in Barangay Bialong, M’lang.

Witnesses said the man then set the bus on fire using a lighter.

As commotion ensued, the man was last seen leaving the bus along with other passengers.

Bernardo Tayong, M’lang disaster official, said the three dead passengers, who were trapped inside the burning bus, have yet to be unidentified.

YBL, one of the bus lines operating the Davao-Cotabato-Tacurong-South Cotabato route, has been receiving extortion demands from the lawless Al Khobar group – an organized crime group reportedly responsible for extortion and bombing incidents in Central Mindanao.

The bus firm has survived a series of bombings and arson in the past five years.

The incident is still being investigated.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1142546