FIGHTING FOILED. The early mediation of the Army's 100th Infantry Battalion (IB) led by Lt. Col. Joel Delmendo (2nd from left) prevented the escalation of the infighting between two groups of the Moro National Liberation Front in Indanan town, Sulu province on March 7, 2023. In a statement Thursday (March 9), Delmendo says the protagonists stopped fighting after the military warned it will intervene should civilians get harmed. (Photo lifted from 100IB Facebook Page)
ZAMBOANGA CITY – A swift military intervention has prevented the escalation of infighting between two groups of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in Sulu province.
Lt. Col. Joel Delmendo, the Army’s 100th Infantry Battalion commander, said in a phone interview Thursday that they immediately responded with sufficient forces when the two MNLF groups engaged in a clash at Barangay Bunot in Indanan town, Sulu.
Delmendo said the 15-minute firefight broke out around 3:05 p.m. Tuesday when the group of Jul Arabani assaulted the faction of Julhajan Hajani, alias Commander White Lion.
Delmendo said the attack was in retaliation to the death of Arabani’s brother, Marajan Hajiri, who was allegedly killed recently by Basir Karim, a follower of Hajani.
“When we arrived in Sitio Bay Pungud, we sent a message through an emissary telling them to stop fighting and warned the protagonists that we will engage once innocent civilians will be hit in the crossfire,” Delmendo said.
He said the groups of Arabani and Hajani are followers of MNLF founding leader Nur Misuari.
Several civilians fled and sought refuge at the Burot village hall but returned in the evening after the tension subsided, the Army official said. (PNA)
