Zambo raid draws scrutiny after child among 3 killed
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—An independent investigation is being sought into a joint police and military operation in Zamboanga City that left three people dead, including a 12-year-old boy, amid allegations of human rights violations and conflicting accounts of the raid.
In a statement on Monday, the Mindanao-based interfaith organization Moro-Christian Peoples Alliance (MCPA) condemned the April 23 predawn raid in Sitio Alas-as, Barangay Sinunuc, describing it as a “massacre” rather than a legitimate encounter.
Survivors’ accounts
Killed during the operation by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police were Jerry Indan Alfad, a member of the barangay “lupon”; his nephew, Rayyan Hassan Alfad; and his 12-year-old son, Salam Aradais Alfad. Two other relatives were reportedly injured.
Authorities said the operation was intended to serve an arrest warrant against a suspected member of the Dawlah Islamiyah–Abu Sayyaf Group and that their team was met with armed resistance, leading to a firefight. Firearms and explosives were reportedly recovered at the scene.
The MCPA, however, citing accounts from survivors and residents, disputed this version.
An eyewitness alleged that gunfire erupted without warning while the family was inside their home and that survivors were later restrained with cable ties.
The group also claimed that medical assistance for a wounded relative was delayed for more than an hour.
Barangay officials who later entered the area reportedly found the elder Alfad and his son dead on a bed, raising suspicions that they were shot while asleep.
The family denied ownership of any recovered weapons and accused authorities of planting evidence.
MCPA Secretary General Amirah Ali Lidasan said the killing of the child highlights the dangers of militarized operations in civilian communities.
The group also raised concerns over counterterrorism practices and called for the suspension of involved personnel, the release of body-worn camera footage, and a review of operational rules in Moro areas.
