ILIGAN CITY, Philippines – At least seven persons were killed while 11 others were wounded in separate shootings involving two feuding families in Lumbaca Unayan in Lanao del Sur, the military said in a belated report Tuesday.
Col. Roseller Murillo, commander of the Army’s 103rd Infantry Brigade based in Marawi City, said the first shooting took place around 6:30 a.m. of April 19 when businessman Luminog Ali Raado and his wife, Diamond, were ambushed by three armed men.
Raado was instantly killed while his wife suffered injuries and was rushed to a hospital.
Murillo said the gunmen were reportedly led by a Cader Darimbang, who had quarrel with Raado.
Later in the day, relatives of the Raado couple “conducted a checkpoint in Lumbac Dilausan village” and tried to flag down a 16-wheeler truck loaded with people believed to be relatives of Darimbang.
He said the truck driver refused to stop, based on the report that reached the military.
Murillo said armed relatives of the Raados opened fire and killed three persons there and then.
Four of the more than a dozen injured victims later died while being treated at hospitals, he said.
The military and the Philippine National Police have been working together to control the situation and prevent the escalation of violence between the two families, Murillo said. SFM