By Edwin Fernandez (PNA)
BULUAN, Maguindanao – While providing security to civilians and running after lawless elements, the Army’s 33rd Infantry “Makabayan” Battalion has been setting trends in this part of Mindanao — settling bloody feuds among warring families.
Lt. Colonel Harold Cabunoc, the 33IB chief, On Thursday said their unit has so far settled five clan wars involving armed families in the Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat provinces since last year.
“It shows our conflict management capability,” Cabunoc said.
The 33IB hosted a “Kanduli” (thanksgiving party) at its headquarters in Barangay Tual, President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat, where the families of Mamadsali Pandapatan, 50, and Jorge Ayup, 55, agreed to end the bloody hostilities.
“Mediating among families locked in bloody clan wars is now a trend among us,” Cabunoc said, adding that the initiative demonstrates the military’s ability to address the root causes of armed conflict problem to find the most suitable solution.
The Pandapatans and Ayups who are related by blood have been fighting ownership of about ten hectares of rice farm in Barangay Lumabao, Gen. SK Pendatun, Maguindanao.
Cabunoc said clan elders failed to subdivide the property before their demise that led to misunderstanding among the relatives.
Cabunoc said Pandapatan told him that his grandparents originally owned the parcel of land. On the other hand, Ayup told the Army official that Pandapatan was given 2.5 hectares of land but wanted the whole ten hectares instead, which started the conflict.
In 2013, a settlement was reached but Pandapatan supposedly did not honor it, triggering sporadic skirmishes between the two families.
Ayup, an official of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), is backed by armed men while Pandapatan had the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) as his armed unit.
Cabunoc said both sides have incurred casualties during the conflict that started in 2013.
Mangudadatu and Cabunoc witnessed the warring families swearing before the Qur’an that they will never engage in armed confrontation again and religiously abide by the Army-initiated settlement.
