MILF extends efforts to pacify two warring groups

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines --- The Moro Islamic Liberation Front on Thursday dispatched emissaries to Pagalungan town in Maguindanao to pacify two feuding MILF factions whose latest encounter left four guerrillas dead and eight others wounded.

Ghadzali Jaafar, chairman of the MILF’s political affairs committee, said they are also working now on the settlement of the conflict between the groups of Mokamad Andoy and Commanders Bigkog and Bhuto.

“There is political color in this conflict. Efforts to peacefully resolve this conflict are now underway,” Jaafar told reporters.

Four followers of Bigkog and Bhuto were killed as they attacked Barangay Bago Inged in Pagalungan Wednesday dawn, apparently targeting Andoy, who resides in the area.

Andoy was former chairman of Barangay Bago Inged and had also served as president of Pagalungan’s association of barangay chairman, until his political ties with the town’s ruling clan, the Matalam family, got severed over irreconcilable differences.

Andoy’s relatives are running for elective positions in Barangay Bago Inged, running against aspirants identified with Bigkog and Bhuto.

The two commanders, according to Jaafar, are supporters of the Matalam family.

“This Mr. Andoy is identified with some MILF commanders in the area and is related to the equally big Pendatun Clan,” Jaafar said.

Jaafar said the commanders hostile to Andoy’s clan are also members of the MILF.

Four followers of Andoy were wounded in Wednesday’s attack by rebels at Barangay Bago Inged.

The police and military have both confirmed that four from the groups of Bigkog and Bhuto were also wounded in the ensuing firefights, which dislocated some 500 impoverished Moro families.

The latest skirmishes between the two groups were their third since early October.

The MILF has also been monitoring two rival guerrilla factions in Talitay town in Maguindanao town, which figured in running firefights two weeks ago that resulted in the dislocation of some 2,000 families.