3 soldiers hurt in Lanao del Sur clan war

COTABATO CITY — Three soldiers were wounded after responding to a rido, or clan, war in Picong, Lanao del Sur, on Saturday, Nov. 7, police said.

Capt. Steffi Salanguit, spokesperson for the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PRO-BAR), said the wounded soldiers were part of the government forces that responded to an armed encounter involving two Moro clans in Barangay Biosong shortly after 1 p.m.

The rival Labao and Gaosil families, both from Barangay Biosong, were involved in the armed skirmishes earlier that Saturday.

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The two families are locked in a long-standing feud over a land dispute in the village.

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Quoting a police report from the Picong Municipal Police Station (MPS), Salanguit said an investigation disclosed that the armed encounter reportedly stemmed from an Oct. 9, 2026, shooting incident that killed a member of the Labao family.

No casualties were reported in the armed encounter between the warring clans on Saturday, Nov. 7.

The Labao family members went to the residential areas of the Gaosil family to avenge the death of a relative, triggering several hours of skirmishes, the Picong MPS reported.

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During clearing operations, joint police and military forces from the 64th Infantry Battalion (IB) were fired upon, allegedly by members of the Labao family, triggering a firefight that lasted several hours.

The wounded soldiers were identified as Privates First Class Jude Deligero, Reymond Padawan, and Cupid Val Masibog Mosque, all members of the Army’s 64th IB.

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Their unit immediately brought them to the Dr. Serapio Montaner Memorial Hospital for medical treatment.

No casualties were reported on the side of the Labao family after the firefight with authorities.

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After the clearing operations, motorists were allowed to pass through the national highway in Barangay Biosong. /mcm