MATALAM, North Cotabato — Clashes erupted over the weekend between two Moro fronts in a remote village here, leaving four fighters dead, police said Monday.
Chief Insp. Sunny Leoncito, Matalam police chief, said both the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) have suffered two fatalities each in sporadic skirmishes in Barangay Marbel here.
“The fighting erupted Saturday night and continued until Sunday morning,” he said, adding that the two-day fighting also sent several families fleeing now housed at the Barangay Marbel covered court.
He disclosed that the fighting was triggered by a ‘rido’ (clan war) between MNLF Commander Datu Manial and MILF Commander Ustadz Manzur.
Accordingly, Manial’s brother was killed by followers of Commander Manzur, subsequently sparking hostilities in the area. On Saturday, armed followers of two Moro fronts figured in a running gunbattle when they met in adjacent barangay Kidama, also in Matalam.
On Sunday, both sides are still sporadically exchanging bullets. Leoncito said leaders of warring armed groups have been meeting to pacify the warring groups. (Edwin Fernandez/PNA)
