MANILA, Philippines – Natapos na ang sagupaan sa pagitan ng pwersa ng pamahalaan at mga armadong kalalakihan sa Tipo-Tipo, Basilan, ayon kay Joint Task Force Orion and Philippine Army 11th Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. Leonardo Peña.
“Around 11:20 a.m., the elders of Basilan, together with the local government of Basilan, negotiated with them. The factions have pulled out of the area in Tipo-Tipo,” ani Peña sa panayam.
“Our troops are only facilitating it so that their return to their respective communities is safe and to avoid possible further conflict,” dagdag pa nito.
Sinabi ni Peña na isang indibidwal ang nasugatan sa nangyaring sagupaan.
Ayon sa Army division commander, ang insidente ay isang “clan conflict” na nag-ugat sa pagpatay kay Ustadz Bahang, barangay councilor at dating miyembro ng Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
“It just so happened that one of those they wanted to take revenge on was a local barangay captain of a barangay in Tipo-Tipo,” paliwanag pa ni Peña.
“They wanted them to be sanctioned,”
Hindi naman tinukoy ng opisyal ang mga sangkot dito.
Sa ulat, pumasok ang mga armadong kalalakihan sa municipal hall nitong Martes, dahilan para magpadala ang Philippine Army ng nasa 150 sundalo.
Nang tanungin kung ang insidente ay isang uri ng “siege,” sinabi ni Peña na, “No, it was not. There was already de-escalation.”
“It was pacified through the collaboration of our elders, of our local government. The PNP and the AFP personnel’s presence there is just to ensure there will no further escalation of conflict,” dagdag pa nito. RNT/JGC
