Tension in Tipo-Tipo: Armed men encircle town hall for revenge
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—About a hundred armed men, some of them members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), encircled on Tuesday the local government center of Tipo-Tipo, Basilan province, in a bid to exact revenge for last week’s killing of an Islamic preacher.
The armed men began gathering at Barangay Tipo-Tipo Proper, the town center and home to some 3,000 people, late afternoon on Monday, prompting the local government to issue an advisory for residents “to remain calm but vigilant following information regarding a possible threat of terror activity in nearby areas.”
On Monday afternoon, Basilan Gov. Mujiv Hataman met with local MILF leaders, especially those in charge of ceasefire monitoring and coordination as well as the Basilan command of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, the erstwhile rebel group’s armed wing, to resolve the situation that reports said was due to a “rido” or clan feud.
The armed men started massing up at the town center at 7 a.m. Tuesday, prompting Tipo-Tipo Mayor Ingatun Istarul to suspend classes and work at the municipal government center. Tipo-Tipo is home to 32,000 people.
‘Under siege’
Businesses closed and many residents fled their homes as tension rose when sporadic gunfire rang out.
“Tipo-Tipo under siege by lawless elements backed by MILF,” the municipal government declared on its social media page.
According to Hataman, the armed men were pursuing a person employed at the local government whom they believed was responsible for the Oct. 21 killing of Ustadz Nadzri Tarahin, 40, a councilman in Baguinda village, at the bus terminal in Lamitan City. Two suspects have been arrested for the crime.
Government soldiers sent to the town “[were] maintaining protective positions amid the firefight,” said a statement from the Western Mindanao Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines based in Zamboanga City.
“Despite the incident, military forces under Joint Task Group Basilan held their ground and prevented any armed group (from) advanc(ing) toward key facilities, including the municipal hall. Government troops continue to exercise tactical restraint to avoid the further escalation of hostilities while ensuring the safety of the civilian populace,” it added.
Maj. Gen. Leonardo Peña, commander of Joint Task Force Orion and the 11th Infantry Division, said troops were sent to Tipo-Tipo “to prevent the escalation of the conflict” between two local clans.
Hataman said at least four civilians were “injured,” one seriously and requiring treatment at Zamboanga City. The governor did not say if they were wounded during the firefight.
As emissaries from the provincial government engaged with leaders of the armed men around 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, gunfire stopped, indicating they agreed to cease hostilities.
Police Lt. Col. Jopy Ventura, spokesperson for the police in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said the negotiations were led by MILF officials Samad Ahaddin and Rajan Abdurahman.
It took until about 2:30 p.m. to have the armed men agree to withdraw.
Hataman said they were able to convince the group to stop exacting revenge and resorting to violence, with a joint pledge by the Basilan provincial government, the provincial police office and the Army that they were fully committed to finding justice for the murder Tarahin.
