What was supposed to be a joyous New Year celebration turned violent after a brawl broke out involving several men in Datu Piang, Maguindanao del Sur, leaving one person injured after getting shot.
Video footage showed several men punching each other along the road in Barangay Poblacion while the sound of motorcycles being revved could be heard as they welcome the New Year.
Moments later, a man wearing black shirt shot one of the men involved in the brawl, and fled.
Residents rushed the injured man to a hospital.
“May isang lalaki doon na binaril. Hindi naman siya namatay, agad naman siyang naisugod sa malapit na pagamutan,” a resident who uploaded the video, Jam Sema, said.
Sema added there was a noise and commotion in the area caused by the revving of motorcycles when the incident happened.
“So kadalasan sa aming mga muslim, hindi uso sa amin ang New Year o pagse-celebrate ng bagong taon. Ngayon po kasi pag bagong taon sa amin, ang madalas na ginagawa ng mga kabataan sa amin o mga kalalakihan ay pagbobombahan ng motor. So siguro, yun ang marahil na naging dahilan kung bakit nagkaroon ng rambulan sa pagitan ng dalawang panig,” Sema added.
The brawl ended after barangay officials, village watchmen, and police officers responded.
Investigation into the incident continues.
