2 Moro clans in Maguindanao del Sur end bloody 'rido'

COTABATO CITY — Two feuding Moro clans in the adjoining Pagalungan and Montawal towns in Maguindanao del Sur reconciled on Tuesday, ending years of hostilities that exacted no fewer than 10 fatalities on each side.

Brig. Gen. Allan Nobleza, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region and Army Major Gen. Alex Rillera separately told reporters on Wednesday that they are grateful for the officials of the Peace, Security and Reconciliation Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao for having settled amicably the “rido” between the Bacana and the combined Dimaagil and Masdal clans.

Rido is a generic term for clan war in most Moro vernacular, mostly triggered by affronts to family pride and honor, land disputes and political differences.

In an initial statement on Tuesday, Anwar Alamada, director of the PSRO-BARMM, said that the leaders of the feuding clans, whose members are scattered in Montawal and Pagalungan towns, have signed a peace covenant stating that they are to live in peace again as relatives and work together, along with local officials, in restoring normalcy in the barangays affected by their gunfights in years past.

“We are thankful to local officials, the police and the military for having supported our efforts to settle the longtime rido between these clans,” Alamada said.

The reconciliation of the rival clans was witnessed by officials of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front from different towns in Maguindanao del Sur and representatives from the MILF’s Coordinating Committee on Cessation of Hostilities that has a counterpart in the government, comprised of Army, police and local government officials.

The committee is in the forefront of addressing security issues in areas covered by the final peace agreement between the government and the MILF, whose chairman, Ahod Balawag Ebrahim, is appointed chief minister of BARMM.