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Sunday, July 13, 2008
Land row sparks Cotabato fighting
KIDAPAWAN CITY -- The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in North Cotabato has validated claims of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) that land conflict caused the July 9 clashes in at least three villages in the province.
Fred Edillor, secretary-general of the MNLF Sebangan State Revolutionary Committee based in Matalam, North Cotabato, said long standing feud between the native Maguindanaon, Ilonggo, and Cebuano settlers triggered anew the armed fighting in Lower Malamote and New Pandan villages in Matalam, as well as in Malinan village in Kidapawan City.
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Edillor, however, insisted the village guards armed with high-powered firearms from Malinan fired the first shots that claimed the life of one of their members identified as Kutap Tamboco, a native Maguindanaon.
"Our members who were just tilling their lands in Barangay Malinan were shot first by the tanods. There was no truth to the reports made by the local PNP (Philippine National Police) that we fired the first shots," said Edillor.
The feud between the natives and the settlers dated back as far as 1970s at the height of the Martial rule, said Edillor.
During those times, he said the native Maguindanaons were forced to leave their homes when armed Ilonggos attacked them.
When they returned to their homes after the signing of a peace agreement in 1996, they were surprised to see settlers from different areas already tilling their lands.
"They were just claiming the lands, which rightfully belong to them," Edillor said.
Earlier, MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said land dispute caused the recent clashes in North Cotabato.
"Despite that, authorities blamed the MILF for the attacks," said Kabalu.
This as the Mindanao Peoples' Caucus (MPC), a Davao City-based group of peace advocates, detested the proposal passed last Tuesday by the Cotabato provincial board that urged local government officials to "mobilize" village guards, Civilian Volunteers Organizations (CVOs), and the Bantay Bayan, as part of their "defense" whenever they are attacked by armed men, especially the MILF.
Lawyer Mary Ann Arnado of the MPC said such resolution, authored by Cotabato Vice-Governor Manny Piñol who chairs the provincial board, will only embolden the populace to take the law into their hands. (Malu Cadelina Manar/Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star General Santos. (July 13, 2008 issue)
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