4 fighters killed in skirmishes between Moro clans in N. Cotabato

Matalam town (outlined in red) in North Cotabato (Image from Google Maps)

MATALAM, North Cotabato – Four fighters were killed in a clash involving members of two Moro fronts in a remote village here over the weekend, police said Sunday.

Chief Insp. Sunny Leoncito, chief of the Matalam Municipal Police Station, said both the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) had suffered two deaths each in sporadic skirmishes in Barangay Marbel here.

Leoncito said the fighting erupted Satuday night and continued until Sunday morning.

The two-day fighting also sent several families fleeing to safer ground. They were now housed at the Barangay Marbel covered court, Leoncito said.

“The conflict was triggered by a ‘rido,’ or clan war, involving leaders of the two Moro fronts,” Leoncito said.

He identified the two warring Moro rebel leaders as Commander Manial of the MNLF and Commander Manzor of the MILF.

Manial’s brother was allegedly recently killed by followers of Commander Manzur.

On Saturday, armed followers of the two Moro fronts figured in a running gunbattle when they met in Barangay Kidama. The clash continued in the adjacent village of Marbel by Sunday.

As of Sunday noon, both sides were still trading bullets, Leoncito said.

Leoncito said MNLF and MILF leaders have been meeting to pacify Commander Manial and Manzur. /atm