BY JOEL CALAMBA ESCOL, Managing Editor
MAGUINDANAO – The recent ambush in one of the remote villages in this province has been linked to an unsettled ‘rido’ between feuding cousins who are both commanders of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, the police reported.
The Maguindanao police, in its initial investigation, disclosed to the media that the killings were between two commanders of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces-Moro Islamic Liberation Front (BIAF-MILF).
One of those who died was a certain Peges Lentagi Mamasainged, also known in the muslim rebels as Black Magic. Based on reports, he was a BIAF commander. While the alleged suspect, Jordan Malalintang has an elder who is also a BIAF commander and they were tagged as feuding cousins. It was not clear, however, how their misunderstanding has turned into a ‘rido’
Aside from the BIAF commander Mamasainged who died, his sons – Sadr, Johari and Sam – also died in the said ambush, along with five others who are yet to be positively identified by the police.
The police also told the media that other members of the family who died were a certain Tani and Kamar Mamasainged. Five others who were also part of the families in the convoy of SUVs are not identified yet.
Those still in critical conditions at the hospital were identified as Baunal Lumabad, Anwar Dimasinsin and Sanjen Mamasainged.
Police probers said the families of the victims were in a convoy going to Barangay Kitapok, Datu Saudi Ampatuan town when the ambush took place in the morning of February 12th.
They were supposed to join a kanduli (which means thanksgiving banquet) and celebrate a rido settlement.
When the victims onboard on two SUVs were already in a two-lane road in sitio Dam, Barangay Kalumamis, Guindulungan in Maguindanao, armed men allegedly led by Jordan Malalintang and his son Morsid, alighted from the crime scene and peppered them with bullets.
Investigators said the suspects used high-powered firearms (M14 and M16 rifles) when they staged the ambush which killed nine people instantly and others in critical conditions.
