ALEOSAN, Cotabato — The Philippine Army has deployed additional troops to Sitio Tubak, Barangay Pagangan, Aleosan, Cotabato, following a deadly ambush that claimed the lives of two minor brothers, as authorities move to prevent further violence and contain tensions reportedly involving individuals from rival groups within the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
The 602nd Infantry (Liberator) Brigade confirmed that soldiers from the 33rd Infantry (Makabayan) Battalion were deployed to the area on November 11, 2026, to help prevent renewed hostilities, stabilize the security situation, and restore normalcy in the community.
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The deployment came a day after two brothers, aged 14 and 9, were shot dead in an armed attack in Sitio Tubak. The children, identified only by their aliases Mors and Nor, were reportedly traveling on a motorcycle from Sitio 2 toward Sitio Tubak at around 1:30 a.m. on November 10 when armed men allegedly blocked their path and opened fire.
Both sustained multiple gunshot wounds and were rushed to a hospital, where they were declared dead on arrival.
Initial police findings have pointed to a possible connection between the attack and a long-standing family feud, locally known as rido. However, investigators have yet to establish the exact motive, identify all the perpetrators, or determine the individual responsibility of those involved.
The Aleosan Municipal Police Station earlier launched a hot pursuit operation, established checkpoints, and coordinated with neighboring police stations and barangay authorities following reports that the suspects fled toward the Special Geographic Area (SGA) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Police and military intelligence personnel are also assisting in efforts to locate the suspects and establish the circumstances surrounding the attack.
In a press statement, Brig. Gen. Ricky P. Bunayog, commander of the 602nd Infantry Brigade, condemned the reported violence in Sitio Tubak, emphasizing that the safety and security of residents must remain the foremost priority.
According to the brigade, preliminary accounts from residents indicate that the latest unrest stemmed from a dispute between individuals belonging to different MILF groups. This information, however, remains subject to verification as authorities continue investigating the deadly shooting and the circumstances that followed.
The Army said it would coordinate with representatives of the MILF Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) and the municipal government of Aleosan to facilitate dialogue and resolve the dispute through established peace mechanisms.
The brigade is also awaiting an immediate response from the MILF-CCCH to expedite discussions between the parties involved and prevent the tensions from escalating or triggering another violent incident.
The 33rd Infantry Battalion, meanwhile, is maintaining security monitoring in and around the affected community. The military said the deployment was intended not only to prevent another outbreak of violence but also to protect residents and contain any possible spillover of tensions into neighboring areas.
The unrest reportedly prompted several families to temporarily leave their homes amid fears for their safety. Authorities have yet to provide a consolidated figure on the number of displaced households or announce when residents can safely return.
Bunayog stressed that individuals found responsible for violations of the law would be held accountable, regardless of their affiliations. He called on all concerned parties to exercise restraint, respect one another, and uphold the existing peace process.
The brigade said the military, police, MILF-CCCH, and Aleosan local government are prepared to work together to peacefully settle the disagreement between the MILF members through dialogue, coordination, and appropriate security measures.
The developments come amid renewed concerns over the consequences of unresolved family and clan conflicts in parts of Cotabato, particularly when violence extends beyond the parties involved and places civilians, including children, at risk.
The killing of the two brothers has drawn condemnation from Cotabato Governor Emmylou “Lala” Taliño-Mendoza, who described the attack as a grave violation of children’s rights and called on the SGA-BARMM leadership to cooperate with authorities in identifying, arresting, and prosecuting those responsible.
While the military’s initial assessment points to tensions between individuals from different MILF groups, the relationship between the reported internal dispute and the ambush that killed the two children has not yet been conclusively established.
Authorities now face two urgent responsibilities: bringing the perpetrators of the children’s killing to justice and preventing the latest violence from developing into another cycle of retaliatory attacks.
The investigation and security operations remain ongoing.