NAVIGATING CLAN FEUDS: EXPLORING EXPERIENCES, EFFECTS, AND ASPIRATIONS IN RIDO CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Rido, or clan feuding, persists as a significant source of violence in Sulu, where kinship obligations and concepts of honor shape community relations and patterns of retaliation. Despite the presence of formal state justice mechanisms, many Tausug communities continue to rely on customary mediation led by elders and religious leaders. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences, challenges, effects, and aspirations of individuals affected by rido in the Municipality of Indanan, Sulu. A qualitative phenomenological design was employed, using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with victims, disputants, community members, and mediators selected through purposive sampling. The analysis revealed pervasive experiences of forced displacement, disrupted livelihoods, psychological distress, family instability, and reliance on survival strategies such as neutrality and relocation. Participants identified political rivalries, land disputes, intergenerational grievances, misinformation, and a culture of fear as the primary challenges hindering conflict resolution. Rido cases were found to last from seven to over thirty years, resulting in long-term trauma, educational disruption, weakened social cohesion, and generational transmission of hostility. Participants expressed strong aspirations for stable peace through strengthened traditional mediation, improved institutional support, clearer land governance, and alignment of customary practices with legal frameworks such as RA 8371, RA 11054, and RA 9285. The findings highlight the need for hybrid, culturally grounded, community-driven approaches that address both structural and normative dimensions of rido to achieve sustainable reconciliation. Keywords: Clan Feud, Conflict Resolution, Indigenous Justice, Maratabat, Tausug Culture