Troops, MILF help settle rido in Basilan

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - The military and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MNLF) forces jointly settled  a dispute between warring clans, ending two decades of deadly conflict in Sumisip town, Basilan province, an official said.

The clans also signed a peace pact Monday.

The participation of the MILF in the settlement of rido (clan war) has signalled the unofficial cessation of hostility between the rebel group and and the military forces, the military officer said.

Col. Carlito Galvez, commander of the 104th Army Brigade, said his command and the MILF Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Force (BIAF) leadership under Dan Laksaw Asnawi and Hud Limaya jointly worked for the settlement of rido between the warring families of Mingkong and Bakal.

Asnawi, an MILF leader,  and his forces had figured in more than half a decade of bitter hostilities that saw the beheading  of a number of soldiers in the province.

The pact signing was witnessed by 400 to 500 BIAF fighters and close to 4,000 of their families with the presence of military forces led by Col. Galvez, and Asnawi, Limaya, and Commander Abas Salonga of the MILF ad hoc joint action group (AJAG), the ceasefire monitoring body.

Galvez said that during their first meeting, which was held this month,  the MILF forces under Asnawi and Limaya expressed support to the rido settlement program being implemented by the police and the military in the province.

“The MILF-BIAF saw that the program to settle rido was good and they supported it and helped the settlement of the long standing rido between the Mingkong and Bakal families,” Galvez said.

The feud between the two clans stemmed from issues of land disputes to political disagreement for 20 years that left scores of deaths from both warring clans, Galvez said.

However, Galvez underscored the participation of MILF leaders Asnawi and Limaya and their forces in the rido settlement programs as it also developed trust among the military forces.

“It was a good confidence-building for both our forces and their forces,” Galvez said.

Asnawi and his forces were the subject of the military operations after the MILF leader allegedly led the attack and the beheading of  14 marines in Barangay Guinanta, Al-Barka town in 2007 and the attack and killing of 19 Army Special Forces in 2011 in Tuburan town. 

Galvez was confident the case of Asnawi will not affect their relationship with MILF in jointly helping settle clan war in the province as the higher level of command government leaders will determine whether there will be a general amnesty for the wanted MILF leaders.

Galvez said the participation of the MILF forces have also made their coordination stronger with the rebel faction.

“Our MILF brothers [are no longer wary of leaving their areas]," Galvez said.

The military officer said the MILF forces have also helped in the interdiction of criminals and kidnappers  and preventing the latter from making Basilan areas as their refuge to keep their hostages.  - Roel Pareño