A news report posted on Monday, August 4, drew attention for recounting a gun battle in Sitio Szopad, Barangay Sapakan of Mamasapano town, which unexpectedly ended in a wedding following mediation.
It was reported that the firefight broke out after the 15-year-old daughter of Sukor Guiamalon eloped with her boyfriend, a 21-year-old brother of Barangay Sapakan chair Mohamad Tatak.
Guiamalon, a member of the 106th Base Command of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, the armed wing of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), allegedly initiated the gun battle around noon on Friday, August 1.
Lt. Colonel Roden Orbon, spokesperson for the Philippine Army’s Sixth Infantry Division, said the firefight ended around 3 p.m. after officials from the 33rd Infantry Battalion intervened and mediated between the warring groups.
The mediation led to both parties agreeing to hold a wedding between the two young lovers on Saturday, August 9.
Mamasapano Mayor Datu Akmad Ampatuan was reportedly named as the principal sponsor of the wedding.
The news report went viral, with Filipino social media users sharing mixed reactions and witty comments in the comments section.
“Brilliant way to end a conflict! Make Love… Not War!” a Facebook user exclaimed.
“Romeo and Juliet who?” another online user said, referencing the famous star-crossed teenage lovers of a Shakespearean play who came from warring families.
“A Pinoy twist on Romeo and Juliet…” a different Pinoy said.
“The roller coaster of emotions while reading this headline,” another wrote.
“Shotgun wedding 101,” a different Filipino commented.
A shotgun wedding is defined as a marriage arranged quickly and suddenly, typically because the woman is pregnant.
“Grabeng wedding initiation ‘yan, pasabog ha,” another wrote.
“What makes it stranger is the fact that the name of the place is Barangay Sapakan,” a different Facebook user noted.
Others, however, were more critical of the incident and raised the alarm about the bride-to-be’s age.
“Another child marriage. I get the context, the girl ran away with her 21-year-old boyfriend, and her dad’s a MILF member, so I can totally understand why tensions were high. Maybe turning it into a wedding seemed like the ‘peaceful’ solution. But she’s 15,” a law student wrote.
“Even if she says she’s in love, I really hope she wasn’t forced or pressured. Still, at that age… can we even be sure she truly understands what she’s getting into? It’s heartbreaking that things like this still happen,” the user added.
“Child marriage is illegal under RA 11596 and no matter the culture, tradition, or drama behind it, this shouldn’t be normalized,” the law student continued, referring to the anti-child marriage law.
“Yeah, the headline’s catchy. Romeo and Juliet pa atake, but the reality behind it isn’t cute. It’s dangerous,” she said.
The anti-child marriage law prohibits a person under 18 years old from marrying. Unlawful acts also include facilitating a child marriage, solemnizing it, and cohabitation of an adult with a child outside wedlock, among others.
