FIVE people were wounded when two warring clans clashed in the province of Lanao del Sur, the military reported on Sunday, January 7.
The Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) identified the protagonists as that of the Amanodin and Dipatuan clans.
The firefight between the two clans erupted around 4:30 p.m., Friday, January 5, in the village of Madanding, Bacolod-Kalawi, Lanao del Sur.
Colonel Romeo Brawner, Jr., Joint Task Force Rano commander, said four of those wounded belong to the Amanodin clan and the remaining one from the Dipatuan clan.
The firefight between the two clans, which lasted for an hour, has disrupted the flow of traffic along the highway of Bacolod-Kalawi town.
Troops have been deployed to defuse the fighting but was fired at by unidentified armed men upon arrival prompting them to return fire.
Normal flow of traffic resume after an hour after the fighting stopped.
“Our soldiers acted immediately since we received reports that there were civilian casualties and many civilians in the area panicked due to the fighting,” Major General Roseller Murillo, Army’s 1st Infantry Division commander, said.
“We would not tolerate any incidents of ‘Rido’ anywhere in our area of operation and we will continue to conduct support to law enforcement operations together with the PNP (Philippine National Police),” Murillo added.
The troops have recovered nine high-powered firearms in a clearing operations around 10:30 a.m., Saturday, January 6.
The recovered firearms were the following: three M-14 rifles; three M-16 rifles; two M-653 rifles; and, one caliber .22 rifle. Also recovered were assorted magazines and ammunition.
“We are still investigating as to who owns the firearms recovered,” Murillo said citing there are indication the guns were recently used.
“Our operating troops are certain that they were just recently fired. It is possible that the same firearms were used during the recent clash,” he added.
The recovered firearms were taken to the headquarters of the Army’s 103rd Infantry Brigade for documentation.
The troops continue the clearing operation while dialogue is being conducted with the municipal officials and traditional leaders of Bacolod Kalawi. (SunStar Philippines)