MANILA, Philippines - Eight persons were killed Tuesday afternoon after an alleged clash of warring clans in Siasi, Sulu, the military reported yesterday.
Brig. Gen. Alan Arrojado, commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines-Joint Task Group Sulu (AFP-JTGS), identified three of the fatalities as Sakili Musara, Al-Mackdil Alam and Koler Amado.
He said the fighting also resulted in the wounding of Alsid Ilaji and Alam Sayadi, leader of the group that attacked the equally armed band of ex-barangay chairman Rahsid Hadjiluddin at about 5 p.m. the other day at Sitio Masillam, Barangay Pislong, Siasi town.
“All the casualties are from the Alam group,” Arrojado said, adding that the families and supporters of the Alams and Hadjiluddins have been locked in a long-running clan war or rido, a Muslim tradition of resolving conflicts through the use of force.
The police said the fighting lasted for 40 minutes, leaving eight people dead.
According to Sulu provincial police director Sr. Supt. Mario Buyuccan, the motive of the encounter was revenge.
Local officials have coordinated with police and military authorities to reach out to the leaders of the warring families to broker a ceasefire and settle the long-running dispute through dialogue, said Arrojado. – With Roel Pareño