Moro group: 7 civilians killed, 3 wounded in Mamasapano clash

DAVAO CITY–A Moro group, in a post-fact finding mission report, claimed that at least seven civilians were killed while three others were wounded during Sunday’s incident in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

Jerome Succor Aba, national spokesperson of the Suara Bangsamoro, said residents of Barangay Tukanalipao were preparing for their daily activities when the SAF commandos entered the community and opened fire at the house of the Panangulon family.

As a result, five-year-old Sarah Panangulon was killed while her parents, Tots and Samrah were wounded, Aba said.

A farmer, identified as Badrudin Langalan, was also killed. His body was found hogtied at the wooden bridge in the village.

“His body was riddled with bullets and his eyes were gouged out,” Aba said.

Aba said based on the narration of Langalan’s wife, her husband was passing through the bridge to go to a nearby community to have his mobile phone charged.

“The wife suspected he was chanced upon by the SAF during the encounter,” Aba said.

Aba said five other people were killed as they were going out of the masjid in Sitio Inugog. He said based on the stories of villagers, it was the SAF who killed them.

“Three civilians were also wounded in the incident,” Aba said.

He said Suara wanted a thorough and impartial investigation not just to shed light on the botched operation but also to give justice to the civilian casualties.

“Civilians bore the brunt of the botched operations, they were made to suffer on suspicions that they are harboring terrorists. Suara calls for justice and recognition of the true victims and accountability to the police and Aquino administration,” Aba said.

Mayor Benzar Ampatuan of Mamasapano, Maguindanao, said the incident drove 1,324 families or about 6,620 individuals out of their villages.

“Our immediate attention was to ensure that affected civilians are taken care of,” Ampatuan said Friday.

A report by the Humanitarian Emergency Action Response Team (Heart) of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said the evacuees came from the villages of Tukanalipao, Daladap, Pedsandawan, Tuka, Pembalakan, Sasikel, and Linantangan.

They were now being housed at public school buildings in areas such as the Poblacion, Ampatuan said.

Food stuff consisting of cereal, noodles, and sardines had been served through the help of local government units and the Department of Social Welfare and Development, he added. Karlos Manlupig, with a report from Charlie Señase

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