Mt Province Kalinga tribes sign deal to stop tribal war

By Angel Baybay

BONTOC, Mountain Province --- A memorandum of agreement signed by representatives of the Tulgao tribe of Kalinga and Sagada, Sabangan, and Bontoc towns of this province doused wild speculations that killing and wounding of two Tulgao tribe members July 23 in Sabangan might result to a full-blown tribal war and loss of innocent lives.

In a special meeting of the provincial peace and order council here Aug. 15 with representatives from concerned parties, elders and officials affixed their signatures on the document to settle the issue through peaceful means condemning the regrettable incident.

On that fateful day, Eusebio Dalignoc was killed while Roy Lang-ao was stabbed by Domingo Bangsoy in Madepdepas, Sabangan. With the cooperation of the residents and officials, elements of the Sabangan Police Station collared Bangsoy.

Upon the return of Gov. Maximo Dalog who was then in Canada as guest of the Lang-ay Festival when the incident happened, he convened the PPOC last Aug. 3 and formed a mediation committee chaired by Bontoc mayor Franklin Odsey in an effort to immediately and peacefully solve the predicament.

Last July 5, Odsey invited all parties for a meeting to explore means by which justice could be served the earliest possible time. It was at this meeting when Anglican priest Pablo Buyagan of the Tulgao tribe made known the willingness of his tribe for the peaceful resolution of the case. A follow-up meeting was scheduled last July 7 but was postponed to July 15 due to the inclement weather.

Residents of this province hailed the MOA as a breakthrough in this part of the country where justice could only be attained through vengeance. “Not only the fear of possible bloodshed was allayed but a more peaceful relation among the concerned tribes is seen to flourish. I hope this will usher in a new era of trust and peaceful coexistence,” uttered a parent who for the past many weeks had been worrying about the safety of his children studying outside the province.

Dalog shared the same observation when asked in his regular radio program for his comment about the signed agreement. “I hope this agreement could become permanent which we could also use in a larger scale most especially with tribal communities. But anyhow, may this process of settling differences become a showcase to others.”

Among those who signed the MOA were Tinglayan mayor Johnny Maymaya, Father Pablo Buyagan, Martin Gayudan, Miguel Guyang, Guyang Ao-as, Piclit Ollog, Apayao Puya-ao, and Alfonso Banglag of the Tulgao tribe. Affixing their signatures from this province are governor Maximo Dalog, vice governor Louis Claver, board members Ezra Gomez and Luke Wanason, Anglican bishop Brent Alawas, provincial PNP director Fortunato Albas, Bontoc mayor Franklin Odsey, Sagada mayor Eduardo Latawan, Sabangan mayor Estanislao Fagto, Sabangan mayor Donato Danglose, Sagada councilor Jaime Dugao, Sabangan councilor Feliciano Liclic, Bontoc councilor Alex Fakat, former Bontoc mayor Alfonso Kiat-ong, Artemio Buteng, Abe Battawang, and Pablo Ladiogan. / angel Baybay