DILG: Killing of 8 people in Maguindanao stemmed from 'rido'

The firefight that led to the killing of at least eight people in Maguindanao province on Sunday stemmed from a “rido" or family feud, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Monday. DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo said the incident at Barangay Tenuk in Mangudadatu town was not an ambush but a case of the victims being caught in a crossfire. “Yan ay hindi ambush. Yan ay away ng dalawang grupo na naipit sa crossfire ang walong tao. Sa initial reports ay rido, dalawang pamilya na nag-aaway at sinamang palad silang dalawang nag-aaway may walong tao na naging biktima," Robredo said in an interview on dzXL radio. (It was not an ambush. It was a case of two groups fighting and eight people getting caught in the crossfire. Our initial reports showed it was a family feud or rido between two clans. It was unfortunate for the eight victims who got caught in the middle.) He said they are still investigating the other details of the incident. Earlier reports showed eight people were killed while four others were hurt in a firefight between suspected members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and political supporters of Governor Esmael Mangudadatu in Maguindanao. On November 23, 2009, 57 people, including members of the Mangudadatu clan along with several media personnel, were killed in Ampatuan town while on their way to file the candidacy papers of Gov. Mangudadatu, who was then Buluan vice mayor. At least 198 people, including primary suspect Andal Ampatuan Jr., are currently being tried for multiple murder charges in relation to the massacre. – VVP, GMA News