CAGAYAN de Oro City — Lanao del Sur is reporting gains in several crime indicators, but a rise in murder cases and dozens of unresolved clan conflicts show that serious security challenges remain in the province.

During the third-quarter joint meeting of the Provincial Peace and Order Council and Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (PPOC-PADAC) on Sept. 30, police and military officials presented measures being taken against loose firearms, rido or clan conflicts, and remaining insurgent threats.

Police Lt. Col. Santos Monares, chief of the Lanao del Sur Provincial Police Office Provincial Operations Unit, said physical injury cases fell from six in the third quarter of 2025 to four in the same period this year. 

Theft cases dropped from six to two, while carnapping cases went from two to none.

But murder cases moved in the opposite direction, rising from 12 to 22.

The increase puts greater pressure on police and local authorities to determine the circumstances behind the killings, prevent further violence, and ensure that cases are properly investigated and prosecuted.

Monares also reported 11 operations against loose firearms during the period. 

These resulted in the arrest of 30 suspects and the confiscation or recovery of 16 firearms, while 134 additional loose firearms were surrendered in coordination with local governments.

The figures show continuing efforts to remove unlicensed weapons from communities, but the number of firearms surrendered also points to the scale of the challenge.

Earlier this year, four Lanao del Sur municipalities turned over 108 loose firearms under the government’s Small Arms and Light Weapons Management Program, showing that disarmament efforts remain a continuing concern in the province.

45 rido cases remain unresolved

The 101st Infantry Brigade reported that 119 rido cases had been recorded in its area of operations as of the third quarter.

Of these, 69 had been settled, five were under negotiation and 45 remained unresolved.

While security officials cited reconciliation and other interventions as contributing to peace and stability, unresolved clan conflicts remain a potential source of renewed violence, particularly when disputes involve armed groups or loose firearms.

The brigade recommended stronger involvement of municipal and barangay officials in preventing and settling rido, the creation of localized conflict-prevention mechanisms, regular peace and order council meetings, and the filing of appropriate cases against those involved in rido incidents.

For residents, the effectiveness of these measures will ultimately depend not only on the number of cases settled but also on whether agreements hold and violence does not recur.

Insurgency-free goal still pending

The 103rd Infantry Brigade also called for the continued dismantling of Sub-Regional Committee 5 (SRC-5) as part of efforts to eventually declare Lanao del Sur insurgency-free.

The military said such a declaration could help improve investor confidence, tourism and other economic opportunities.

But the security goal remains unfinished.

The latest briefing therefore presents a mixed picture: several conventional crime indicators improved, while murder cases increased, 45 rido cases remained unresolved and authorities continued efforts to address armed threats.

For Lanao del Sur communities, the more important measure will be whether these security programs translate into fewer killings, fewer armed conflicts and safer communities—not simply higher numbers of operations, arrests or surrendered firearms.

Recent government reporting has likewise emphasized that firearms reduction and rido settlement require sustained coordination among security forces, local governments and communities. (With a reports from Apipa Bagumbaran/PIA-10/Lanao del Sur)

Photo caption:
SECURITY BRIEFING. Provincial Board Member Saifullah Aldine Macarambon presides over the third-quarter joint meeting of the Provincial Peace and Order Council and Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council on Sept. 30, 2026, where police and military officials presented updates on crime trends, loose firearms, rido cases and other security concerns in Lanao del Sur. (Photo: ZRD/PIA-10/Lanao del Sur)