96 families flee as armed group burns tribal worship hall in Maguindanao Sur

From MindaNews (Jul 30, 2023): 96 families flee as armed group burns tribal worship hall in Maguindanao Sur (By FERDINANDH B. CABRERA)

COTABATO CITY (July 30) — At least 96 Teduray families in Sitio Nunagen, Barangay Blanting in Talayan, Maguindanao del Sur fled their homes Wednesday night after armed men stormed their village and burned a tribal worship hall.

“Their tenines or Tribal Worship Hall was burned, the people left the area for fear of their lives,” Member of the Parliament Froilyn Mendoza, a Teduray who represents the Non-Moro Indigenous Groups in the 80-member Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), said.

Displaced residents sought shelter in Barangay Biarong, South Upi in Maguindanao del Sur.

Some of the 96 Teduray families who fled their homes in Barangay Blanting in Talayan, Maguindanao del Sur Wednesday night after armed men stormed their village and burned a tribal worship hall. They sought shelter in Barangay Biarong, South Upi in Maguindanao del Sur. Photo courtesy of MP Froilyn Mendoza

Mendoza, who also serves as women empowerment and tribal rights leader for the Teduray and Lambangian Indigenous Peoples said the reason behind the attack was that “the armed men don’t like the new installed leader in the area.”

MindaNews asked the provincial police command for details but it has not responded as of 5 p.m. Sunday.

The Bangsamoro Rapid Emergency on Disaster Incidence (READi) immediately sent food and relief assistance to the affected families. (Ferdinandh B. Cabrera / MindaNews)

https://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2023/07/96-families-flee-as-armed-group-burns-tribal-worship-hall-in-maguindanao-sur/