2 Muslim clans clash over land row; 33 houses raze

COTABATO CITY — Thirty-three houses were burned while dozens of families were displaced as two feuding Muslim clans battled for control of patches of lands at the border of Midsayap, North Cotabato and Datu Piang, Maguindanao.

Dr. Tahir Sulaik, chief of Maguindanao’s Integrated Provincial Health office, said 82 families from barangays Ulandang, Damatulan and Leong, all in Midsayap, have fled to safer areas in Datu Piang for fear of getting trapped in the crossfire.

"They were driven from their barangays by the clandestine encounters there since last week between two rival Muslim families," Sulaik said.

Sulaik said the evacuees are now housed in public school campuses, needing food, clothing and medicines for common ailments.

In its morning public affairs program yesterday, station dxMS, an outfit here of the Notre Dame Broadcasting Corporation, reported that the hostilities first erupted last week in farming villages in barangays Damatulan and Ulandang.

Midsayap’s police office identified the leaders of the warring groups as Commanders Asrab and Sajid, both members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

The two factions have long been locked in a deep-seated animosity spawned by squabbles for control of patches of arable land in the area and collection of revolutionary taxes.

Senior Inspector Raul Supiter, Midsayap’s police chief, said eight houses of farmers were burned in the initial skirmishes, but neither of the two groups would admit responsibility for the arson attacks.

Forces of both sides clashed again on Thursday, forcing dozens more of families in the three barangays to flee.

Investigators said 18 houses were burned in Barangay Ulandang the other day while 15 were set on fire by hooded gunmen in Barangay Damatulan.

Major Julieto Ando, spokesman of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said a peacekeeping contingent have been deployed in the adjoining areas to pacify the rival groups.