ZAMBOANGA CITY, 18 September 2007 — Two people were killed and four others wounded in a firefight between two Muslim groups on a remote island town of Pangutaran in southern Philippines, officials said yesterday.
Officials said the firefight erupted after an altercation between the groups and that one of the dead was Darwin Nanoh, son of the town’s mayor Ahmad Nanoh.
Nanoh’s son clashed with the group of Basit Ismael, who was appointed as new port collector by the Regional Ports Authority of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Ismael was also killed in the fighting, said Maj. Gen. Reuben Rafael, commander of military forces in the area.
“Apparently the group of Basit Ismael arrived in the town and wanted to take over immediately as port collector, a position held by Darwin Nanoh, and there was an altercation which ended in a firefight,” Rafael said. “Both are dead and four others wounded in this unnecessary incident.”
Rafael said troops were sent to Pangutaran to prevent further clashes between supporters of the two groups.
Regional Governor Zaldy Ampatuan, who has control over the RPA, was not immediately available to make a statement about the fighting.
