100 families flee as 2 MILF commanders clash in North Cotabato

KIDAPAWAN CITY, North Cotabato, Philippines — At least 100 families fled their homes in Pikit, North Cotabato, when followers of two feuding Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) commanders clashed on Thursday morning, the police reported.

Senior Inspector Sindatu Karim, Pikit town police chief, said the clash started when the group of Commander Ricky Husain – backed by Commander Mokamad Andoy – attacked the forces of Commander Bhoto Mantol in the boundary of Barangays Talitay and Bulod.

The three commanders were relatives, Karim said, but they have been locked in a long-running feud. He did not say when and how the feud started.

“It’s a family matter,” he said.

Karim said the two groups traded bullets for about 20 minutes but there had been no reports on any casualty from either side yet.

However, terrified residents of the two villages fled to safety and had sought refuge in relatives living in other village and in village halls.

He said the police and the military had sent forces to prevent the hostilities from escalating into nearby villages.  SFM