Clan war in Lanao Sur town kills 2, wounds 4 others

Source: Google Maps

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 24 September) – A bloody rido or clan war erupted in Malabang, Lanao del Sur Monday night, resulting in the killing two individuals and the wounding of four others, police said.

The violence occurred a week before the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) for the simultaneous May 2025 mid-term national, local and the Bangsamoro parliamentary elections. The Commission on Elections has set the filing of COCs on October 1 to 8.

Major Salahuddin Basher, spokesperson of the Lanao del Sur police office, said the two dead persons remained unidentified as of Tuesday noon, September 24.

The wounded were known as Ansary Didic, 71, and Hamdanie Ibrahim, 42, both residents of Barangay Bacayawan in Malabang, Lanao del Sur; and Jemar Abdul and  Esmail Abdul, both from Sultan Kudarat town in Maguindanao del Norte. 

As clashes boiled over just a week before the filing of COCs, Basher said Malabang town is being eyed anew as one of the election hot spots in the province.

“As of noontime today, the clashes have settled down, We have sent nine teams from the regional, provincial, and local police forces,” Basher said in a phone interview. 

The Philippine Army was also sending their armored vehicles and troops to back up the police officers, he added.

In the past several elections, Malabang town has been declared a hot spot area due to intense political rivalries and clan wars in the area.

On Monday night, a source said that a heavy encounter erupted in Sitio Lati, Barangay Bacayawan between the camps of Al Rashid Abdul and Asnor Macud, who reportedly have a longstanding clan feud.

The source, who requested anonymity for security reasons, said the two camps had been at odds since the 2019 elections, and their rivalry was ignited again about two weeks ago. (Ferdinandh Cabrera / MindaNews)