MILF says it brought 2 warring clans to a peace deal

COTABATO CITY—The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) announced it has successfully resolved two cases of “rido,” or family feuds, in Maguindanao as it continues to mediate in similar cases.

Murad Ebrahim, MILF chief, acknowledged that feuds—especially those involving MILF men—tend to drag the peace process down.

Jack Abbas, head of MILF’s Task Force Islah (Reconciliation), said the feuding clans from Pandag and Datu Paglas towns agreed to bury the hatchet and end their long-running conflict.

“It has been a long-standing feud that started years back,” Abbas said.

He said the reconciled parties acknowledged that “it may take time for the wounds to heal.”

“But what is important is both sides can now see eye to eye and embrace peace,” Abbas said without elaborating on the identities of the warring clans.

Brig. Gen. Ariel Bernardo, chair of the government’s ceasefire panel, said it took at least 100 days for the MILF task force and government representatives to bring the two warning clans to peace.

But Ebrahim said time was not a concern and what was important was that the feuds had been settled.

Ebrahim said resolution of family feuds has become one of the MILF’s goals because past experience showed that they can delay the peace process.

Ebrahim said efforts were also being made to settle similar problems in Mlang, North Cotabato, where MILF men are also involved. Edwin Fernandez, Inquirer Mindanao