S. Kudarat families to end ‘rido’

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Warring Moro families in the boundary of Sultan Kudarat and South Cotabato provinces decided to peacefully end nearly four-month conflict following intervention by local officials.

The negotiation started when South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. led a

dialogue between the warring families on Friday in Barangay Ned, Lake Sebu town, according to a statement released by the governor’s office over the weekend.

Tamayo was compelled to mediate as the “rido” or clan war has triggered a series of clashes that displaced several families in Lake Sebu and Palimbang town, Sultan Kudarat, where the two families live.

Over 260 families from Sitios Molmol, Kisayan, and Kumilat in Lake Sebu -- one of South Cotabato’s remotest areas -- evacuated last month for the second time since April because of the clashes in the neighboring Barangay Molon, Palimbang town, officials earlier said.

The clashes involved the families and supporters of Mike Binago and allies Tat Tuan and Salik Adam.

Arvin Librado, focal person for infrastructure of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), said both clans already agreed to settle their conflict in front of the governor, paving way for evacuees to return.

“Through the mediation spearheaded by the governor, the involved parties eventually agreed to settle,” Librado told the Philippine News Agency in a phone interview on Monday.

The statement said the governor sought for the establishment of Army, police and Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit detachments in the affected areas to protect the residents and prevent another escalation of the conflict.

During his visit, Tamayo brought relief assistance to the evacuees taking temporary shelter at the gymnasium in Barangay Ned. Two weeks ago, the PDRRMO distributed food and non-food commodities, including health kits and basic necessities for infants and children, to the affected residents.