Indigenous practice settles tribal conflict over murder

By Francis Degay

SAGADA, Mountain Province.—Sagada and Sabangan towns of this highland province now enjoy lasting peace due to the recent indigenous resolution of the murder and frustrated murder cases filed at branch 35 of the Regional Trial Court here against one Domingo Bangsoy by the bereaved family and the wounded victim who are members of the Tulgao tribe of Kalinga province.

Two ethnic groups were affected because Bangsoy is a native of Taccong, Sagada and his family is residing in Madepdeppas, Sabangan where the incident happened.

The settlement money including the cost of two ritual carabaos were delivered to the offended families at Tulgao, Tinglayan, Kalinga by members of the mediation and reconciliation committee on the Sabangan and Sagada-Tulgao case on March 23.

Earlier, a certain Eusebio Dalicnog and one Roy Maymaya Lang-ao were brutally murdered and wounded respectively at Madepdeppas, of bBrangay Data, Sabangan sometime evening of July 24, 2009.

The two victims were regular walk-in vendors of rattan and bamboo-made winnowers and bolos in some parts of this province.

The suspect was immediately arrested and put behind bars at the Mountain Province provincial jail.

Tension between the Sabangan and Sagada tribes ensued after the incident due to the perception that the Tulgao tribe might retaliate against any member of the suspect tribes especially those who are outside of their municipalities.

Just after episode the Mountain Province Peace and Order Council organized a settlement committee composed of members from the involved municipalities and Bontoc town as the neutral community.

As a preventive measure, Bontoc Mayor Franklin Odsey, the presiding chair of the committee, requested Tinglayan Mayor Johnny Maymaya to help prevent possible reprisal from the offended tribe.

Maymaya agreed and no further incident happened.

A series of dialogues were conducted among the conflicting tribes until the offer of the two accused tribes was accepted by families of the victims.

In return, complainants executed their affidavits of desistance which were duly sworn and subscribed by the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.

With this development, the Prosecutor’s Office led by Fiscal Moses C. Ayuchok filed a motion to dismiss the cases with the judge of RTC branch 35. The latter made an order dated April 5, 2010 to release the accused from prison.

Some observers appreciated the Tulgao tribe, one of the Kalinga warrior tribes, because they never retaliated against member tribes of Sabangan and Sagada while the settlement was going on until it was finally settled.

They added tribes in the Cordillera shall emulate the Tulgao tribe to prevent tribal conflicts.