RP police clash with soldiers

RP police clash with soldiers

ZAMBOANGA, Philippines (AP): A clash between a group of policemen and Philippine soldiers, apparently over a family feud in a southern village, left three bystanders dead and five injured, a military official said on Sunday. Among those killed were two children, police said.

The military has custody of the soldiers but authorities are still looking for the four policemen involved in the fight Saturday in downtown Jolo, in Sulu province.

The undetermined number of soldiers were in a passenger vehicle when they were fired upon by the policemen. The soldiers returned fire and the fighting stopped after a few minutes when marine soldiers arrived, said Col. Horacio Lapinid, a military spokesman.

Lapinid said the family of one of the policemen is apparently at odds with the family of one of the soldiers. The soldiers are former Moro National Liberation Front separatist rebels integrated into the military.