ANGELES CITY—A bloody armed confrontation between two Muslim clans here that left seven persons hurt on Christmas Eve was finally resolved last Thursday.
Amroding D. Rasul, Angeles City Muslim Affairs Desk administrative officer, said the clans of Samir Sarip and Omar Hadji Omar Deoro agreed to peacefully settle their differences by placing their hands on the Koran as a sign of their sincerity and pledge of peace.
Sarip and Deoro also signed their names on a peace agreement (kasunduan) witnessed by Hadji Ali Banto, Sultan of Mintring.
Randy B. Dayrit, officer in charge of the Angeles City Satellite Office at the Robinsons Place mall here who represented Mayor Edgardo D. Pamintuan, was instrumental in the amicable settlement mediated by Rasul.
Also observing the peace agreement at the city hall satellite office were Chief Insp. Francisco M. Guevarra Jr. and Dan Liwanag of the City Information Office, as well as numerous members of each clan, who came in droves.
“The problem was because of their children, who had a misunderstanding. There were a lot of customers, they were tired and there was a quarrel last December 24,” Rasul said.
The warring clans are merchants selling their wares in and around the San Nicolas public market here.
The armed confrontation between the two clans started at about 11 a.m. the day before Christmas. It resulted in seven persons hurt by gunfire. Three Deoro clan members were wounded by gunfire, and four from the Sarip clan sustained gunshot wounds.
Rasul said two were seriously hurt, but it was a miracle no one died in the armed confrontation.
Guevarra said the firearms used in the gunfight have yet to be confiscated by the police. He appealed to the two clans to surrender their firearms to their Muslim elders to strengthen their peace settlement.
Dayrit said Mayor Pamintuan was thankful the two clans finally decided to settle their differences.
Image credits: Ashley Manabat