WARRING families from two towns in Lanao del Sur have agreed to settle their more than four-year-old dispute through the efforts of local officials, religious leaders, the security sector, and community elders, the military said Friday, February 20.
The signatories of the peace accord are the families of Hadji Pais and Mamualas from Lumbaca-Dilausan village, Lumbaca-Unayan, on one side, and the family of Panda Macaurog from Lanindingan village, Pagayawan, on the other side.
The 64th Infantry Battalion (64IB) said the peace settlement ceremony was held Thursday, February 19, at the Pagayawan town hall and was witnessed by members of the Ulama Council, as well as municipal, provincial, military, and police officials.
Relatives from both families attended, showing their full support for reconciliation.
The conflict between the warring families began on January 5, 2022, when a member of one family was killed in Beta village, Tubaran, after being suspected of having an illicit relationship with a married woman.
The incident led to a series of retaliatory killings, including the death of a 14-year-old student at Mindanao State University (MSU)–Marawi City on April 25, 2022, and the killing of a suspect in Lanao del Norte in 2025.
“These incidents increased tensions between the two families and their communities,” the 64IB said in a statement.
The 64IB said the signing of the peace pact by the warring families was made possible through the efforts of the municipal governments of Lumbaca-Unayan and Marogong and through the “Kaisaisa Ko Kalilintad Program,” a peace and conflict resolution initiative of Pagayawan Mayor Mohammad Khalid Diamael and Vice Mayor Khalida Polao-Sanguila.
The 64IB said the program aims to address and peacefully resolve rido, or family feuds, and other community conflicts between the municipalities of Lumbaca-Unayan and Pagayawan.
The 64IB said the settlement included traditional reconciliation rites, such as the giving of blood money, a customary practice meant to restore honor, promote accountability, and bring peace between feuding families.
Lieutenant Colonel Jerry Gaviola, 64IB commander, thanked the local government units of Pagayawan, Lumbaca-Unayan, and Marogong for their strong leadership in promoting peace.
Gaviola said that family feuds have no place in a community that seeks progress and stability.
Gaviola assured everyone that the 64IB fully supports all peace initiatives and continues to call for an end to rido in Lanao del Sur.
He said the successful settlement of the dispute between the warring families highlights the importance of dialogue, cooperation, and unity.
He said it shows the strong commitment of local leaders, security forces, religious leaders, and the community to maintain peace and harmony throughout the province. (SunStar Zamboanga)