Tears and hugs as 30-year bloody family war in the Philippines ends

For years, western Mindanao has been the focus of an armed separatist struggle between the Philippine government and various Muslim rebel groups.

In 2019, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) was established as part of a peace deal between the government and the main rebel movement, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), ending most of the fighting and granting Muslim-majority areas in Mindanao a significant degree of autonomy.

However, challenges to peace remain, including incomplete disarming of rebels, private armed groups belonging to rival local politicians, loose weapons and delays in implementing the peace deal.

The former enemies are currently keeping the peace, but given these challenges, there are concerns that petty family and clan-level disputes involving former combatants could spiral out of control and disrupt the peace.

The United Nations recognized the need for an institution to support the MILF peace mechanism, including addressing conflict involving former combatants at a more local level, and therefore worked with the authorities in BARMM to establish the Peace, Security and Reconciliation Office (PSRO), which opened in January 2023.

United Nations News traveled to southwestern Mindanao to speak with PSRO CEO Anwar Alamada, as well as Lumanda “Manny” Idsla, who is seeking to resolve a three-decade-long family feud.

Lumanda “Manny” Idsla stands by the grave of his second cousin, who killed and started the feud.

Lumanda “Manny” Idsla: In May 1995, my second cousin, an elected official, was shot dead while he was voting in the municipal elections in Pikit. His brother suspected that a neighbor, who was also my relative, had committed the crime and at 3pm that same day came to his house and shot him dead.

This is how the feud or goas we call it at BARMM, between the two families began, lasting nearly 30 years. It resulted in the deaths of four others, including my brother, as well as a child killed by a stray bullet.

Anwar Alamada: There are many similar infightings within BARMM that start for a variety of reasons, including land disputes, petty crime, marriages, and political and ideological rivalries. What begins as a localized dispute can quickly escalate into a larger and deadlier conflict as the parties involved seek help from private armed groups or former rebel movements.

Lumanda “Manny” Idsla: The neighbors lived just a few hundred meters from our house, and so the area became a conflict zone. They had semi-automatic weapons like AR15s and grenades. We moved out of the house and into the hills behind because we thought they could come and kill us at any moment. My brother was shot at close range through the window while he was preparing food at home during Ramadan.

The situation was very tense and daily life was disrupted. I moved my family out of the village.

Anwar Alamada: Our approach to conflict resolution is to listen, negotiate, and find an agreement that recognizes the interests of both parties. It is not easy to convince people to step back from conflict, it does not happen overnight but is a long-term process.

Lumanda “Manny” Idsla: Charges have been filed, but the trial is still ongoing. Ultimately, this go is a cycle fueled by pride and revenge. We can avoid this escalation if we have a strong leader.

Anwar Alamada: Since the beginning of 2023, we have resolved nearly 100 disputes, including disputes between individuals, families and entire communities. Mr. Idsla was the first person to approach PRSO wanting to resolve the dispute. We spoke to him and then approached the other family.

Lumanda “Manny” Idsla: We knew we wanted to stop the killings and stop living in fear, and PRSO was a good solution. Mr. Alamada and his team met with each side individually and then brought us together. In the end, it was very straightforward and we agreed to end the feud. Just last week, we held a ceremony with hundreds of people from both sides. We swore on the Quran to end the feud. There were many tears, including mine, and we hugged each other.

Families in Pikit in southwestern Mindanao have agreed to end a decades-long feud.

Anwar Alamada: The way we help resolve feuds is a win-win for both families. There is no blood money, which is what you usually pay when someone is killed in a feud. Since we started talking to the families, there has been no recurrence of the feuds.

Lumanda “Manny” Idsla: I have a good relationship with my neighbors now. We meet and talk about our farm, our irrigation challenges, and the crops we grow. I can walk without an escort, and I no longer fear being killed. I live with a sense of freedom. I am so grateful for the work of PRSO. It feels like a gift, like I have received thousands of bags of rice.

Anwar Alamada: I am very proud of our work because conflict resolution brings peace to our communities and with peace comes progress and development. There can be no development without peace. People here are happy when peace reigns.

The PRSO brings stability because it helps manage and mitigate conflicts, and I believe that without its presence, there is a greater chance that small, localized disputes could escalate into larger conflicts and ultimately threaten the peace process in BARMM. It is important to resolve conflicts as soon as possible to avoid escalation.

We want our work to support the ongoing BARMM peace process and ultimately ensure the region achieves autonomy as envisaged in the political agreement.