3 armed group followers wounded in clash in Maguindanao del Norte

THREE followers of an armed group were wounded in a clash with soldiers on mediation mission in the province of Maguindanao del Norte, military officials said Friday, June 6, 2025.

Lieutenant Colonel Roberto Betita, 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion (1MIB), said the clash broke out in the evening of Wednesday, June 4, while the 1MIB troopers were sent to mediate two armed groups fighting in Poblacion village, Talitay, Maguindanao del Norte.

"As the troops were approaching, they were immediately fired upon by about 30 armed men. The soldiers were forced to return fire, resulting in the wounding of three members of the armed group," Betita said without identifying the protagonists.

Betita said the troops recovered four high-powered firearms: a caliber .30 Garand rifle, an M-14 rifle, an M16A1 rifle, and an Armalite rifle.

Also recovered were various types of magazines and ammunition, three bandoliers, three sling bags, a commercial radio, two sachets of shabu worth P59,500, and illegal drug paraphernalia.

"We immediately rushed the wounded suspects to the nearest hospital for treatment, before transferring them to the Cotabato Regional Medical Center for further medical attention. They will also be turned over to the Talitay Municipal Police Station to face the charges filed against them," Betita said.

Due to the incident, Brigadier General Edgar Catu, 601st Infantry Brigade commander, immediately convened a meeting of the groups involved in the clash and warned them that the military will not hesitate to use force if the violence continues.

"We want a peaceful and orderly town of Talitay, if there are any disagreements, we can discuss them calmly and not through violence," Catu said.

Major General Donald Gumiran, 6th Infantry Divison commander, commended the soldiers for their swift and effective actions that resulted in a successful peacekeeping operation. (SunStar Zamboanga)