Clash in Basilan leaves one wounded

Manila, Philippines – A violent conflict between groups over the death of a former Moro rebel warring in a Basilan town has left one civilian wounded, the Philippine Army said on Tuesday, Oct. 28.

The standoff began early Tuesday morning after supporters of former guerilla Nadzrie Tarahin, also known as Ustadz Bahang, stormed the municipal hall of Tipo-Tipo, in search for members of another group believed to be responsible for his murder.

Bahang was a former member of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and a councilor at Tipo-Tipo’s nearby Baguindan village. He was killed on Oct. 21 shortly after surrendering to the 45th infantry division, the Philippine Army said.

“Sa kaguluhan po sa Tipo-Tipo, yun pong nakita nilang motibo kung bakit nagkagulo ay dahil po yung mga relatives and supporters ni Ustadz Bahang ay nagkainitan dahil sa pagpatay kay Bahang… Gusto nilang makakamit ng hustisya,” Capt. Genesis Dizon, chief of Public Affairs at the 11th Infantry Division, told NewsWatch Plus in an interview.

[TRANSLATION: The motive behind the clash in Tipo-Tipo could be traced to the relatives and supporters of Ustadz Bahang stemming from his murder. They are seeking justice.]

Basilan is among provinces in southern Mindanao that make up the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). A 2014 peace deal with Manila ended the MILF’s long-running separatist insurgency in exchange for autonomous rule over Muslim areas in Mindanao. That pact called for tens of thousands of MILF members to surrender and decommission their weapons.

Tuesday’s attack was not equivalent to a siege of Tipo-Tipo, the military said.

“Hindi po under siege ‘yung municipal hall. Nagkataon lang po na yung seat of municipal government ay located sa Tipo-Tipo proper. Dun nagkaron ng gulo between warring clans,” Dizon said.

[TRANSLATION: The municipal hall was not under siege. It’s just that the seat of the municipal government is located at Tipo-Tipo proper. That’s where the gunfire erupted between warring clans.]

The gunfire ended before noon, the army said. Elders from the MILF, the local government, army and police brokered peace talks.

“Kanina, kami ay lumagda sa isang Joint Statement of Commitment kasama ang AFP, PNP at mga lokal na lider ng MILF upang mapababa ang tension at mapanatili ang kapayapaan,” Basilan Governor Mujiv Hataman said in a statement.

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity released a separate statement condemning the “untimely death” of Bahang, and that it is calling “on all parties to exercise sobriety and calm.”

“While we are still gathering complete details, initial reports suggest the incident stem from a rido [clan feud],” the agency said in its statement.

No details were given on the identity of the wounded and the assailants pending the completion of investigation.