COTABATO CITY — Police and soldiers are now deployed in Barangay Tamontaka 2 here to prevent an escalation of violence after two members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) were slain in a gun attack on Wednesday.
Major Sainodin Benasing, commander of police station 3, said they wanted to also ensure the safety of civilians in the community.
Two persons were killed and five others injured when about 20 gunmen strafed several houses in the village, mostly owned by members of the Pangilan clan.
Benasing identified the fatalities as Pacundo Pangilan, 30, and Razul Abdulla, 34. Two among the five hurt, all relatives of the slain MNLF members, were minors.
Benasing said the gunmen were believed to be from nearby Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Maguindanao del Norte..
He identified the leader of the attackers as a certain Sammy from Barangay Bitu in Datu Odin Sinsuat.
The attackers fled after sensing police and soldiers were closing in.
While initially “rido” or family feud was raised as the possible motive of the attack, Benasing said police investigators are still gathering statements from the wounded victims and the clan leaders.