Sultan Kudarat. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
COTABATO CITY — Driven by “rido” (family feud), unidentified gunmen on Wednesday attacked a camp of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, the erstwhile armed wing of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), resulting in a firefight that sent civilians fleeing their homes in Sultan Kudarat town, Cotabato province. At least 50 families from Barangay Rebuken fled early on Thursday morning as gun bursts that started at 7 p.m. on Wednesday were still heard in the area. “We had a sleepless night … but this morning (Thursday), we decided to evacuate before it was too late” said Manalang Maslamama, a Rebuken resident. He said the groups involved in the firefight belonged to big families and were well-armed. He declined to provide details. Brig. Gen. John Guyguyon, Bangsamoro regional police director, said police units had been sent to the village to secure civilians, adding that they had coordinated with the MILF ceasefire panel to defuse tension. Guyguyon said there was no casualty reported from either side after the skirmishes. —EDWIN O. FERNANDEZ