DATU SAUDI AMPATUAN, Maguindanao — A fierce armed showdown between two groups of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels in three adjoining villages here has sent over 2,000 families to flee homes in the past two days, police said Wednesday.
A teacher, identified by the Datu Saudi Ampatuan police office as Baidido Kamansa, 44, was hit by stray bullet in the head while a kilometer away from warring MILF fighters in Barangay Madia, Datu Saudi Ampatuan town.
Sr. Supt. Agustin Tello, Maguindanao police director, said those involved in the firefight were members of MILF 105th base command under Commander Haon Sindatuk and MILF’s 118th base command headed by Commander Datu Adam.
Two fighters from both sides were reportedly killed, according to police while six others were injured, two from group of Sindatuk and four from the side of Adam.
Tension started on Sunday night and flared up Monday morning, Tello said, when the group of Adam attacked the group of Sindatuk.
Heavy firefight lasted for about three hours. Sindatuk and Datu Adam are reportedly fighting for control over lands in Barangay Madia.
The Maguindanao police office and Datu Saudi town police team are still verifying reports that both sides suffered three fatalities each.
Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu said the Malaysian-led International Monitoring had intervened and the tension had slowed down as of Wednesday morning.
Police said 2,456 families from the villages of Elian, Gawang and Madia, all in Datu Saudi Ampatuan had fled to safer grounds.
Many of them are now in Barangay Dapiawan Elementary School.
The humanitarian-arm of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) had been dispatched to assist the affected families. (PNA)
