Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte | July 15, 2025 — In a powerful demonstration of peace and reconciliation, Nabalawag Special Geographic Area (SGA) Mayor Datu Renz Tukuran and Commander Karis Bationg of the 105th Base Command of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF-MILF) officially ended their long-standing rido during a peace mediation held at the 6th Infantry (Kampilan) Division Headquarters in Camp Siongco.
Facilitated by the Philippine Army through the 601st and 602nd Brigades under the leadership of BGen. Edgar Catu and BGen. Ricky Bunayog, the peace mediation was dubbed “Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity”. It also drew support from the 34th Infantry (Reliable) Battalion, civil society organizations, the MILF/Philippine Government Peace Panel, and BARMM stakeholders including SGA Administrator MP Butch Malang, and PSRO Deputy Executive Director Malik Caril.
During the event, both parties took a solemn oath on the Holy Qur’an, vowing never to revive the conflict that once escalated into violence and gunfire in their communities. The reconciliation is seen as a breakthrough, not only because both leaders are influential in their own right, but also because they are blood relatives — a bond that they both acknowledged helped pave the way for their peaceful settlement.
“I’m truly happy that our conflict has come to an end,” said Mayor Tukuran, who is also a former Battalion Commander under the Field Guard Base Command of the MILF’s National Guard Front. “We are family. It’s time to let go of pride and move forward for the good of our people.”
He candidly admitted to his past impulsiveness but expressed a strong desire to change — for peace and for the younger generation. Known to his constituents as kind and deeply community-oriented, Mayor Tukuran called on the people of Nabalawag to unite, transcend political divisions, and help move the municipality forward.
Commander Karis Bationg echoed the mayor’s sentiment, affirming that their familial bond and shared identity as Bangsamoro brothers made reconciliation not only possible but necessary. He welcomed the gesture of peace and emphasized the importance of continuing their journey toward mutual understanding.
In a symbolic act of commitment, both leaders signed a Memorandum of Agreement along with other peace stakeholders, signaling the formal end to the hostilities.
Meanwhile, military leaders signaled that those who engage in future rido could face stronger consequences. 601st Brigade Commander BGen. Edgar Catu said the military would push for individuals involved in unresolved clan wars to be declared persona non grata by the Maguindanao provincial government.
The peace initiative is being hailed as a manifestation that even deep-seated feuds can be settled through dialogue, empathy, and collective effort. “There is no conflict that cannot be resolved through peaceful talks,” one military officer said during the ceremony.
The settlement between Mayor Tukuran and Commander Bationg is not just a personal reconciliation but a symbolic victory for peacebuilding in the Bangsamoro region — an example of leadership choosing forgiveness over feud, and kinship over conflict.