A fierce firefight erupted on the evening of November 5, 2025, between two unidentified armed groups in Barangay Ganta, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Maguindanao del Sur, leaving a Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) commander dead and his two sons critically injured.
According to reports, the exchange of gunfire began around 7:00 p.m., sending residents into panic as gunshots echoed through the area. Peace and Protection Monitors from the Tiyakap Kalilintad network immediately conducted surveillance to gather information and ensure the safety of civilians caught in the crossfire. However, darkness made it difficult to obtain concrete details during the initial hours of the skirmish.
To suppress the fighting, military forces fired howitzer rounds toward the conflict zone in an effort to pacify the warring groups and prevent further escalation.
Police reports later confirmed that the clash involved two MILF-linked groups: the Buisan family, associated with the MILF Task Force Itihad, and the Kagi Fahad Sapal family, allied with the MILF 105th Base Command. The confrontation turned deadly when Commander Bandao of the 105th Base Command was killed, while his two sons sustained critical injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Initial investigations suggest that the violent encounter stemmed from a personal dispute between the two groups rather than ideological differences.
Authorities in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) continue to monitor the situation closely to prevent retaliatory attacks and ensure the protection of civilians in the conflict-affected community. Peace monitors have also urged both sides to de-escalate tensions and allow mediation efforts to proceed.