PANAMAO, Sulu – In a historic event on March 13, three long-standing rido (clan feuds) were simultaneously resolved in this municipality. These settlements, spanning 30 years of conflict in Barangays Bud Seit/Kan-ukol, Lakit, and Lower Patibulan, marked the first-ever simultaneous resolution of such disputes in a single day.
The event, held at the Municipal Hall in Brgy. Seit Poblacion, was a collaborative effort spearheaded by Panamao Municipal Mayor Hon. Al-Frazier S. Abdurajak, and involved key figures from various sectors and agencies, including the Ministry of Public Order and Safety (MPOS).
LTCol. Homer Estolas acknowledged the community’s willingness to settle the feud between the clans from Bud Seit and Kan-ukol. He shared in Filipino: “This is something I am proud of since being assigned to Sulu. The Tausug people are very humble. I am impressed by them because they are the ones who took the initiative to reconcile, something that doesn’t happen in the place where I came from.”
“We are not the ones forcing them to make peace. I hope we won’t repeat this (feud). Let’s not always think about ourselves; let’s think about other people, especially the youth, our children,” he added.
In another reconciliation effort, MPOS settled a long-standing feud in Brgy. Lower Patibulan.
Reflecting on this settlement, PLTCol. Sabri Lakibul stated: “Reconciliation is a legacy we can share with our grandchildren, future generation. There are numerous bloodsheds in the past ten, twenty, and thirty years. Today in the month of Ramadhan, Alhamdulillah, it’s over. It’s the love of God Rabbil Alameen [Lord of all worlds] towards us, love is the greatest form of faith.”
The ceremonial handshakes and photographs symbolized the end of decades of conflict, fostering harmony and paving the way for a peaceful future for the involved clans and their communities.
This successful resolution not only benefits Panamao but also showcases the ongoing efforts of the regional government in sustaining peace and order, not just within Sulu but across the entire Bangsamoro region, contributing significantly to the region’s overall stability and development. (Alline Jamar M. Undikan/BIO with reports from MPOS)
