ILIGAN CITY -- A president of the Association of Barangay Councils of Poona Piagapo in Lanao del Norte province was shot dead at past 9 p.m. Friday, police said.
Police Officer 2 (PO2) Cedic Disomemba of the Iligan City Police Office Station 4 identified the victim as Ismael Macatoon, 42, a village chairman in Tangklaw, Poona Piagapo, which has a known enclave of the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
A separate military report identified the victim as Salim Andang Limbona. The discrepancies could not independently be verified as of this writing.
Initial investigation showed that the victim was attending a birthday party in Linamon town in Lanao del Norte before heading to Buruun in Iligan.
Upon entering Sitio Mimbalot in Barangay Buruun, witnesses said two men on a motorcycle opened fire on Macatoon, hitting the victim on several parts of his body, causing his immediate death.
PO2 Disomemba said the assailants were armed with .45 and 9mm pistols, based on the slugs recovered from the crime scene.
Witnesses said the assailants fled to the upland area of the barangay.
Authorities are looking into clan war or “rido” as the motive in Macatoon’s killing.
On March 3, the Army’s 15th Infantry Battalion and town officials of Poona Piagapo led a settlement of 13-year clan war between two Maranao clans, namely the Limbonas and the Kasulogs.
Poona Piagapo Mayor Usop Saripada paid the blood money, while the military troops provided security to booth parties during the settlement process.
Both warring factions then pledged to the Qur’an to end their “rido”, town officials who witnessed the peace settlement told Sun.Star.
It was not immediately known whether Macatoon’s killing would affect the peace between the warring clans.
Military officials said they are still verifying whether Macatoon was related to one of the warring families, the Limbonas.
The warring families had one casualty each in their decade-long family conflict.
After Macatoon’s death, government soldiers were immediately deployed in the interior part of the town to prevent bloodshed.
Lieutenant Colonel Allan Hambala of the 15th IB urged both parties to maintain a peaceful relationship and to honor their peace pact.
Macatoon’s body was brought to Poona Piagapo town and buried Saturday in Muslim rites.