MARAWI CITY: Bangsamoro leaders on Monday joined Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Chief Minister Alhaj Murad Ebrahim in condemning the Maguindanao incident that killed two children and injured 14 others.

Ebrahim, on the same day, described the mortar shelling by government troops of a terrorist lair on Sunday as “inhumane, evil and wicked.”

BARMM Executive Secretary Abdulraof Macacua said it was difficult and painful to accept the death of innocent minors whose death came from mortar shelling committed by people who know very well what they are doing.

“Especially when their tragic death and the wounding of others happened on Eid al-Fitr, which is one of the two important days of Islam celebrated by the entire Muslims around the globe, and at a time that everybody wishes all people should be saved from the pandemic Covid-19,” Macacua added.

“Despite the efforts of the President (Rodrigo Duterte) to protect its citizens from this Covid-19, there are still sectors of our society who disregard the value and importance of life,” he said.

Macacua voiced regret that the tragic incident happened amid the desire for a lasting peace in the region by implementing all agreements signed by the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

“We have these agreements on cessation of hostilities, on dealing with other armed groups and on coordination. Incidents like this would have been avoided if all these protocols have been followed,” he said.

“The [saddest] part of the incident is that we are about to commence the next decommissioning of our combatants and I hope that this will not cause a hindrance to the next process,” Macacua pointed out.

Maranao federalist leader Bayan Goling Balt said, “It is unfortunate that despite the peace agreements between the [Philippine government] and the MILF and the signing into law of the BOL (Bangsamoro Organic Law), violence still flares up in Muslim areas. This may be due to non-observance of the mechanisms built in the peace agreement.”

Balt, head of the Maranao federal state movement and former Lanao del Sur chapter president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, added, “We reiterate our call to the military to exercise prudence in the conduct of military operations, sparing innocent civilians with due regard to the peace agreement.”

But he urged the MILF to adhere to its obligation under the peace pact to prevent violence so that all Filipinos can enjoy the dividends of peace.

The fatalities in the Maguindanao incident were identified as Aslamiya Tambak, 10, and Asnaida Tambak, 7, both females.

Wounded were Noraisa Tambak, 40, mother of Aslamiya and Asnaida; Norsaid Tambak, 5, male; Badria Ebus, 35, female; Saud Ebus, 7, male; Aida Kembeg, 35, female; Tata Kembeg, 30, female; Najima Pua (a person with disability), 16, female; Jepu Pua, 15, female; Muslima Tambak, 40, female; Mati Ali, 45, male; Mia Elian, 20, female; Salonga Marcos, 20, male; and Halid Dagedeban, 21, male.