DAVAO CITY – The provincial government of Cotabato and government forces have stepped in to resolve a long-standing land conflict that sparked a firefight in a remote village of Matalam town on Monday, Nov. 24.

According to the police, the clash lasted for 30 minutes and left seven persons dead.

Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza said on Tuesday that she is eyeing to convene the local government officials of Matalam, security forces, and other stakeholders on Wednesday to peacefully resolve the long-standing land conflict.

Cotabato Provincial Police Office spokesperson Police Lt. James Warren Caang told Manila Bulletin that CPPO acting chief Police Col. Jerson Birrey and Army 602nd Brigade Commander Ricky Bunayog entered the area to diffuse the tension in Barangay Estado.

The police and military held a dialogue with barangay officials and traditional Muslim leaders to defuse the tension, Caang said.

Caang said the clash was perhaps a result of brewing tension between claimants who have been involved in the land dispute since August.

The Philippine Army has deployed a team to secure the village, he added.

However, Caang said they could not yet confirm reports that warring groups are affiliated with either the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) or the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

According to reports, both Moro groups have camps in the vicinity.

Last month, a brief clash between the warring groups displaced at least 150 families.

Mendoza added that the provincial government wants to clarify what really happened with local government officials.

“There are a lot of reported angles of the incident. The LGU should know better because they know who enters and exits their localities,” she said.

The local armed lawless groups are fighting over a piece of land located somewhere between Barangay Estado and Barangay Malinan in Kidapawan City.

Reports also said that there was no firefight that took place.

Reports added that armed men wearing bonnets attacked Mastura Edris Kusain and his group.

Police denied the reports.

“Our investigation showed that there was a firefight. If it was just a gun attack against the other side, it should not last 30 minutes,” Caang explained.

Kusain and six of his followers were killed, police said, adding that only one survived.

According to reports, Kusain and his group were from Cotabato City or Datu Odin Sinsuat in Maguindanao del Norte.

But Caang said that they are still verifying the places of origin of Kusain’s group since they received reports they suddenly came to the area and claimed a piece of land.

He added that some residents reported to the police that Kusain’s group has been harvesting the crops of farmers.

The CPPO believes that a dialogue is the best way to resolve the land dispute, he added.

The provincial government has distributed relief aid to about 50 families who were displaced due to the incident.