DATU HOFFER, Maguindanao del Sur – A senior commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) was shot dead by unidentified armed men inside his residence on the night of June 12, in what authorities are investigating as a possible case linked to a long-standing clan feud or rido.
The victim was identified as Nguda Abdulrahim, a high-ranking official and commander under the MILF’s 128th Base Command. He succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds after being attacked by heavily armed assailants at his home in Barangay Tuayan Mother, Datu Hoffer, Maguindanao del Sur.
According to officials of the Maguindanao del Sur Provincial Police Office and Steffie Salanguit, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro, Abdulrahim sustained numerous gunshot wounds during the attack, resulting in his immediate death.
Initial police reports and information gathered from traditional Moro datus and local government officials indicated that Abdulrahim allegedly had existing enemies in Barangay Tuayan Mother, prompting investigators to consider rido—a deeply rooted clan conflict common in some parts of Mindanao—as one of the primary angles in the case.
Authorities said Abdulrahim was inside his small residence when armed men approached and opened fire using assault rifles. Witness accounts indicated that the gunmen unleashed a barrage of bullets before swiftly fleeing the scene, leaving the MILF commander mortally wounded.
The brazen killing has alarmed residents and local officials, particularly as it occurred in an area that has experienced a series of violent incidents in recent months.
Police investigators are also looking into whether the assassination has any connection to other recent acts of violence that have rocked parts of Maguindanao del Sur. However, authorities emphasized that no definitive motive has yet been established.
The killing occurred in a region that remains a security concern due to the continued presence of remnants of the terrorist group Dawlah Islamiya. The area has recently witnessed a number of armed encounters involving members of the group and troops from the 601st Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army.
While investigators have not found evidence directly linking the attack to terrorist activity, security forces are not ruling out any possibility as they continue to gather intelligence and interview potential witnesses.
Abdulrahim was laid to rest the following day in accordance with Islamic tradition, which calls for the burial of the deceased within 24 hours after death.
As of this writing, authorities have yet to identify the suspects behind the attack. A manhunt operation is ongoing, while investigators continue to work on establishing the motive and determining whether the killing was connected to personal grudges, clan feuds, or other security-related concerns.
The fatal shooting underscores the continuing challenges faced by law enforcement and peacekeeping authorities in maintaining stability in parts of the Bangsamoro region, where longstanding feuds and armed violence remain persistent security issues despite ongoing peace efforts.