SETTLED. Mayor Bai Mariam Sangki of Datu Abdullah Sangki town in Maguindanao and Moro Islamic Liberation Front 106th Base Command chief Mastor Ampatuan sits during a one-one-one talk for the settlement of their clans' long-standing dispute in Barangay Old Maganoy on Thursday (March 14). (Photo by the Army's 6th ID)
CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao -- The Army here has facilitated the settlement of a long-time dispute between a political clan and a commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in the province.
Lt. Col. Alvin Iyog, Army’s 2nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion chief, led the mediation between the clan of Mayor Bai Mariam Sangki of Datu Abdullah Sangki municipality and Mastor Ampatuan, also known as Datu Item of the MILF 106th base commander, held at Barangay Old Maganoy of the town last Saturday.
"After a series of deliberate planning and coordination, Mayor Sangki reached out in the name of peace and reconciliation to meet with Datu Item,” Iyog said in a statement on Friday.
While at the village, Mayor Sangki and Datu Item settled to a one-on-one dialogue to make amends and patch up their longtime issues and differences.
The dispute between the two clans has resulted in occasional firefights and shooting incidents among the rival clan members and supporters over the past decade.
“This initiative of Lt. Col. Iyog, is well appreciated not only by my family but also to all those people who got involved in the misunderstanding,” the mayor said in separate statement.
With such development, Iyog said the people in the adjoining villages of Kaya-Kaya, Dimampao and Old Maganoy could now brace for imminent peace and development as an outcome of the cessation of hostilities that has plagued the area for a long time.
Maj. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Army’s 6th Infantry Division commander, has lauded the entire 2nd MIB for its effort to sustain peace in its area of jurisdiction.
“To end the culture of violence, communication and understanding are the basic weapons to uphold peace and security within the community,” he said. (PNA)
