Philippine troops sent as clan clash sparks firefight in restive south

By Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio, Reporter

GOVERNMENT troops were deployed to a southern Philippine town on Tuesday after a family clan stormed the area in pursuit of a suspected killer of one of their members, leading to exchanges of gunfire in the latest flare-up of violence in Mindanao, authorities said.

A firefight broke out in Tipo-Tipo after a clan seeking to avenge a slain relative sought to search for the suspected assailant, according to Basilan province’s police office.

“The tension in Tipo-Tipo is directly linked to the shooting and death of… an Islamic teacher and barangay official,” it said in a statement posted on Facebook. “Reports indicate that the followers… are seeking revenge and have allegedly identified those responsible for the killing.”

Basilan Governor Mujiv S. Hataman said the slain person was affiliated with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) — once the largest armed group in the region advocating for Mindanao’s autonomy — and that the victim’s clan believed the suspect was in the municipality.

“They entered the municipal town because their suspect is a municipal guard… and they wanted him turned over to them,” he told One PH on Cignal TV.

About 26.2 million people live in Mindanao, recognized as one of the Southeast Asian nation’s most volatile regions long plagued by militant groups advocating for the major Philippine island’s separation.

But violence has largely subsided in recent years after the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, a result of peace efforts between the government and former rebel groups.

The local government of Tipo-Tipo earlier said in a Facebook post that the town was “under siege” by “lawless elements” allegedly backed by the MILF, raising fears of renewed violence reminiscent of the siege of Marawi, one of the deadliest urban conflicts to hit Mindanao in the past decade.

“The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) are working jointly to prevent further escalation, protect civilians and restore peace and order in the affected communities,” Basilan’s provincial police said.

A joint military task force took up defensive positions and “held their ground, preventing any armed group from advancing toward key facilities,” including the government hall of Tipo-Tipo, the armed forces command in Western Mindanao said.

“Government troops continue to exercise tactical restraint to avoid the further escalation of hostilities while ensuring the safety of the civilian populace,” it said in a separate statement.

About 2,500 families fled the town, Mr. Hataman said. “They voluntarily left and went to nearby villages.” He added that there were four civilians wounded in the firefight.

“It affected nearly 90% of the population in Tipo-Tipo,” he said. “Even before the incident, they were already aware of it [possible conflict] because some of those who entered the town were also their relatives.”

Tipo-Tipo’s local government had indefinitely suspended classes and government work after the firefight, it said in a Facebook post.

The armed forces’ Western Mindanao command assured the public that they remained in control of the situation and were taking “all necessary measures” to restore peace.

“The incident is now under control, with the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities and the provincial government of Basilan facilitating dialogue and de-escalation,” the AFP said in a separate statement.