TWO warring families in the town of Panamao in the province of Sulu have signed a peace pact, ending their disputes through the coordinated efforts of the municipal government and the 21st Infantry Battalion (21IB), the military said Saturday, January 31.
The 11th Infantry Division (11ID) said the peace pact was signed during a ceremony on Thursday, January 29, at the Panamao town hall.
The signatories to the peace pact are the family of Abdurajik Lahaba from Puhagan village as the First Party, and the families of Kaidar Hamjaji, Muksidar Uraid, Badjo Asgari, and Aldamir Hamsiaraji as the Second Party.
The 11ID said the warring families are all residents of Datag, Panamao.
“The dispute began with a minor altercation that later escalated into gunfire,” the 11ID said in a statement.
The 11ID said an M-16 rifle used in the incident was voluntarily surrendered to authorities in line with the strict implementation of the Panamao municipal government’s Gun-Free Zone and Peace-Centered Community policy.
The 11ID said the 21IB, in collaboration with other security forces and the local government, continues to intensify measures to maintain peace, order, and security throughout the province of Sulu.
The public is also encouraged to cooperate with authorities and immediately report any threats to peace and security, the 11ID added. (SunStar Zamboanga)