Four men hurt in gunfight between feudal groups in Basilan

MAGUINDANAO --- Four were badly wounded in a gunfight Tuesday between two groups squabbling for control of an island about a kilometer off seaside Lantawan town in Basilan.Chief Supertindent Graciano Mijares of the Police Regional Office-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said Wednesday the wounded men belong to one of the feuding groups that figured in the hostilities.The injured Baser Hasim Sagdi, Michael Majindi Amiril, Jalal Damsalin and Amiril Mawali, were immediately rushed to a hospital in Isabela City, about 20 kilometers away from Lantawan.They belong to one of two groups --- separately led by Jul Amri Majindi and Ibrahim Alam --- locked in a long-time vendetta feud.Initial reports reaching the office of Mijares in Camp S.K. Pendatun in Parang, Maguindanao stated that the victims were fishing near Caluitan Island in Brgy Luuk-Maluha, Lantawan when they were attack by another fishermen armed with M14 and M16 assault rifles.Local officials said the four men, now confined in a hospital, are loyal followers of the reelectionist chairman of Barangay Luuk-Maluha.Their attackers hastily escaped using their motorized watercraft when they sensed that responding barangay tanods and community elders were closing in.Mijares said personnel of the Lantawan police are now investigating on the incident in preparation for the filing of corresponding criminal cases against the culprits.Mijares said the Basilan provincial police shall its best to disarm the two adversarial groups.