The government peace body on Thursday called on the people of Basilan to uphold its ‘peaceful’ designation following the clan war in the province, which wounded four people.
‘To our fellow Basileños, we have seen that Basilan has been declared a peaceful place, I hope we never return to conflict,’ said Carlito Galvez Jr., chief of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), in an interview.
As of June, the island province of Basilan is now officially free from the threat and presence of Abu Sayyaf Group.
Galvez made the reaction after the clan war or ‘rido’ in Tipo-Tipo town in Basilan which stemmed from the Oct. 21 killing of Nadzri Asdana Tarahin, an Islamic teacher and village councillor of Barangay Baguindan.
‘We condemn in the strongest possible terms the heinous act of violence that led to his untimely death in the island province of Basilan,’ he also said of Tarahin.
Galvez noted that there are still long-standing clan wars, or ‘rido,’ in the province.
He said OPAPRU is working to end clan wars in the province, which have seen ‘more than’ 32 long-standing ‘rido’ dating back 50 years or more.
‘These long ridos brought a great suffering to the people,’ he said.