BARMM, MILF settle “rido” in Maguindanao
BANGSAMORO NEWS UPDATES • 10:45 AM Mon Jun 29, 2020
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By:
FERDINANDH CABRERA
BARMM Exec. Sec. Abdulrauf Macacua (seated in black jacket) talking to Sultan Kudarat Gov. Suharto Teng Mangudadatu, during settlement of rido involving MILF members in Maguindanao. (FC)
COTABATO CITY – “Impossible yet we made it possible.”
This was how Sec. Abdulraof Macacua, executive secretary of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) after he managed to let warring families in Maguindanao “smoke the pipe of peace” and let them forgive and forget.
Macacua, who carries the pseudonym “Sammy Gambar,” is the chief of staff of Bangasamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF), the armed wing of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
Macacua facilitated the reconciliation of warring Muslim clans and let them swear before the Holy Quran to religious abide by the localized peace agreement that put an end to their misunderstanding that, somehow, caused bloodshed.
On Saturday, the warring Moro families, affixed their signatures into the peace agreement.
They were Datu Saudi Ampatuan Mayor Resty Sindatok with his relatives headed by Commander Awhon of the MILF 105th base command and the families of Wahid Tundok of the MILF 118th base command.
Political differences among warring factions triggered the “rido” or clan wars involving gunmen who happened to be members of the MILF.
Macacua reminded the parties to subscribe to the agreement and whoever violates will be considered “enemies” of BARMM and Maguindanao province.
No blood money was involved in the settlement of the conflict but it will pave the way for development in their communities.
The reconciliation was witnessed by Sultan Kudarat Governor Teng Mangudadatu, who represented his wife Maguindanao Governor Bai Mariam Sangki-Mangudadatu, MILF-Coordinating Committee on the Cessastion of Hostilities (CCCH), Adhoc-Joint Action Group (MILF-AHJAG) and Maguindanao Peace Monitoring and Investigation Team.
Religious at traditional leaders were also instrumental in ending the conflict.
Macacua reiterated his reminders before the gathering ends.
“Whoever violates the agreement will be penalized accordingly…if the violators are MILF members, they will be delisted outright from the ranks and will be charged,” Macacua said.
Mayor Sindatuk appreciated the efforts of MILF leadership to facilitate the reconciliation.
“From the bottom of my heart, I thank the MILF leadership, the governor of Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat because this conflict is finally settled,” Mayor Sindatuk said in the vernacular.
Butch Malang of the MILF ceasefire panel said the “rido” settlement was unprecedented since previous efforts to reconcile warring families have failed. (FC)