Gun battle involving government troops and armed clan shuts down major highway, disrupting travel to Cotabato, General Santos and Davao.
PICONG, Lanao del Sur (November 10) — An eight-hour gun battle between government forces and armed members of a local clan wounded three soldiers and brought traffic to a standstill along a major highway in Lanao del Sur late Saturday.
The firefight erupted around 1 p.m. in Sitio Badak, Barangay Biosong, during a joint security and clearing operation intended to contain an earlier armed conflict between the Labao and Gaosil families.
The prolonged exchange of gunfire forced authorities to suspend vehicular movement along the National Highway, leaving dozens of trucks, buses and private vehicles stranded as motorists waited for security forces to declare the area safe.
Police identified the wounded soldiers as Privates Jude Deligero, who sustained a gunshot wound to his right upper arm; Cupid Val Masibog Mosque, who was hit in the right calf; and Reymond Padawan, who suffered a gunshot wound to his right shoulder.
All three were evacuated to the Dr. Serapio Montaner Memorial Hospital for treatment.
According to military reports, personnel from the Picong Municipal Police Station, 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company, 3rd Maneuver Platoon of Regional Mobile Force Battalion 14-A and the Army’s 64th Infantry Battalion were conducting operations to prevent further violence between the rival families.
However, while troops were sweeping the area, armed members of the Labao clan reportedly opened fire on government forces, triggering an intense firefight.
The armed men were reportedly from Barangay Biosong in Picong and Barangay Rarab in neighboring Nunungan, Lanao del Norte.
The exchange lasted approximately eight hours before the gunmen withdrew toward surrounding forested areas.
Police reported no casualties among the armed group as of Saturday night, while clearing operations continued.
The fighting exposed the vulnerability of civilians using the highway, a major transit route linking Lanao del Sur with neighboring provinces and connecting travelers to Cotabato City, General Santos City and Davao.
With the threat of stray bullets, authorities ordered a temporary suspension of traffic and advised motorists to avoid the affected stretch of road until security personnel completed their clearing operations.
Reinforcement units were deployed Saturday evening to strengthen security positions, secure roadside communities and prevent further attacks.
Police and military forces also established checkpoints at strategic entry and exit points in Picong and nearby municipalities as they pursued the fleeing gunmen.
Local authorities urged stranded travelers and residents near the conflict area to seek shelter, avoid exposed portions of the highway and follow instructions from security personnel.
The Picong police have opened an investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the attack and determine the criminal liability of those involved.
As of late Saturday night, government forces remained deployed in Sitio Badak, with the reopening of the highway dependent on the completion of security and clearing operations.
Beyond the three wounded soldiers, the incident again highlights how clan violence can disrupt civilian mobility, threaten communities and turn a major transport corridor into a danger zone.
