Mayor seeks help in ending ‘rido’ in Basilan town that led to slay of 2 fish vendors on New Year’s eve

ZAMBOANGA CITY——-The mayor of Mohammad Ajul town, Basilan has sought help from the police and military as well as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to end a two-decade-long “rido” or clan feud that led to the slaying of two fish vendors on New Year’s Eve.

“So many lives of innocent people have been wasted because of this rido,” said Mayor Ibrahim Ballaho who was just a few meters away, in a vehicle, from an ambush last Dec. 31 in the village of Tuburan Proper.

Killed in the attack at past 12 noon were fish vendors Faisal Jailani and Asiri Sabdurani, both in their mid-20s. The two were on board their delivery vehicle heading for home in Bagsakan village when waylaid.

Jailani and Sabdurani sustained multiple gunshot wounds and died instantly.

“I pity the innocent individuals. Even if they are distant relatives of families involved in a rido, when they are identified, they end up dead, just like the two fish vendors,” Ballaho said.

He appealed to the military, police, and the MILF to “sincerely sit down, discuss, dialogue and settle this two decades of conflict.”

According to the results of an initial probe, one of the victims was a distant relative of one of the suspects in the killing of a village councilman last November 20.

Such an attack was also related to the ongoing rido.

/MUF