Killing of 4 soldiers in Sulu by policemen in June may be linked to 'rido': military official

MANILA - The killing of 4 soldiers in Jolo, Sulu in June may be linked to "rido" or a feud among clans in the area, a military official said Monday.

Police officials allegedly killed 2 relatives of Corporal Abdal Asula, one of the 4 soldiers shot to death by police while en route to capture terrorist bombers, Maj. General Corleto Vinluan, commander of the Western Mindanao Command, told the Commission on Appointments.

"Siguro they are expecting na 'yung sundalo natin, nagco-conduct sila ng surveillance against the personnel of this unit," Vinluan said.

(Maybe they were expecting that our soldiers were conducting a surveillance operation against the personnel of this unit.)

"Uso kasi 'yung rido sa Sulu," he said.

(Clan feud is common in Sulu.)

An earlier Senate investigation found the policeman who may have fired the first shot was a survivor of a recent drug raid where his comrades were killed.

Patrolman Alkajal Mandangan told a Senate panel last week that he did not hesitate killing the soldiers because knew that he only had "one life."

• 'Isa lang buhay ko': Officer who fired at soldiers in Sulu wounded in earlier ambush

The National Bureau of Investigation is still probing the incident.