Cops tighten security after student’s death

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines - The police on Wednesday tightened security in Maguindanao’s Parang municipality after gunmen killed a 13-year-old high school student whose clan is locked in a “rido” with another Moro family.

Rido is a generic term for clan war in most southern dialects.

Chief Inspector Arnold Allan Bulusan, chief of the Parang municipal police, said the victim, Mocser Macapeges, student of the Notre Dame of Parang High School, was shot dead Tuesday by motorcycle-riding gunmen armed with 9 millimeter pistols.

The Macapeges family, of Iranun descent and whose scions are residing in Maguindanao’s adjoining Parang and Matanog towns, is involved in a rido with another ethnic Iranun clan.

Senior Inspector Arnold Allan Bulusan of the Parang municipal police said emissaries have been sent to elders of the Macapeges clan to convince them to refrain from retaliating.

“We have imposed security measures intended to prevent escalation of hostilities among protagonists,” Bulusan said.

An elder of the slain student, Misuari Macapeges, who is a senior member of the Parang municipal council, said they knew who the culprits were and that criminal charges will soon be filed against them.