A lawmaker on Tuesday urged authorities from the Philippine National Police Region 12, Police Regional Office Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Mindanao Command to reduce the increasing incidence of violence in Maguindanao.
“I am appealing to the provincial authorities and the AFP to join forces for the immediate reduction, if not eradication, of the violence in Maguindanao so that our province will gain stability and safeguard our constituents,” said Rep. Esmael Mangudadatu of Maguindanao.
Mangudadatu made the call after a series violence rocked the province that has intensified in recent months.
The latest is the botched assassination attempt to South Upi Mayor Reynalbert Insular and several relief workers last Sunday. Insular, along with the members of the South Upi Municipal Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management Council, had just concluded their relief aid operation to displaced families in Barangay Itaw when gunmen opened fire on their vehicles.
The displaced families whom Insular and his team were helping belong to the Teduray Tribe who were forced to flee their homes after gunmen opened-fire and burned their houses on New Year’s Day.
“We have seen a big increase in the number of deadly incidents against civilians who have lost lives, limbs, livelihood and their houses in the process,” Mangudadatu said.
He also called on the Bangsamoro government to look into the issue that has been affecting the Indigenous Peoples’ communities in the province.