CAMP OMAR, Maguindanao—The Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters hopes that the rido (family feud) between commanders of the BIFF and the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) would “soon be settled since the guns have already been silenced.”
Commander Adzmie of the BIAF’s 106th Base Command, last week, engaged the forces of Commander Abunawas of the BIFF in fierce armed encounter that displaced some 280 families or around 1,500 individuals in the town of Datu Piang in Maguindanao.
The BIFF, that was founded by renegade MILF commander Ameril Umbra Kato in March, is a breakaway group of the BIAF, the armed wing of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Kato, before his resignation in December of last year, was commander of the 105th Base Command of the MILF.
Kato admitted it was difficult to patch the differences between Commanders Adzmie and Abunawas, which he said are rooted on land conflict that has dragged for more than a decade already. “But if only Adzmie will listen, there is no problem that could not be solved,” he said.
According to Kato, the encounter last week and the subsequent displacement of noncombatants from three barangays of Datu Piang could not have happened had Adzmie agreed to negotiate.
“Kasama ako dyan sa paghahanap ng solution para ma-solve ang problema sa pamamgitan ng amicable settlement para hindi na uli humantong sa barilan,” Kato said.
The land dispute, which involved around 10 hectares, has already reached the courts, but Kato said “there is no court that Adzmie will recognize.”
Before last week’s encounter between Adzmie and Abunawas, Kato narrated having helped in trying to patch up the dispute, but he claimed that Adzmie did not heed him.
“Tahimik lang si Abunawas pero talagang pinuntahan ni Adzmie sa bahay niya at pinagbabaril,” said Kato in justifying why Abunawas was reportedly forced to fire back.
Kato admitted sending reinforcements for Abunawas but he already ordered their withdrawal on Monday following the request of Datu Piang Mayor Samer Uy. “Tumawag si mayor at sabi niya paalisin ko daw ang mga tropa na nag reinforce kay Abunawas,” he said, adding that he also wanted Uy to guarantee him that Adzmie’s troops would no longer attack Abunawas.
Kato also appealed to the Central Committee of the MILF to withdraw an alleged order to force Abunawas out of Datu Piang, saying, “hindi naman aalis iyan diyan kasi nandiyan ang lupa niya—nasa Alunganen.”
MILF spokesman Von Al Haq, however, belied Kato’s claim, saying the “standing order” for Adzmie and his men was “to stay in defensive position.”
It was reported last week that some of the casualties in the Adzmie-Abunawas fighting were hacked even if they were already dead, raising speculations that a third party could be behind the hacking to foment more hatred from among the combatants.
But Al Haq was confident there was no third party involved while clarifying that it was one of Adzmie’s men who was hacked in the head after he was shot dead allegedly by Abunawas’ forces.
