Villages claimed by Calanasan: Ilocos Norte, Apayao to settle border feud

 By Jun R. Guiang

ADAMS, Ilocos Norte--The Ilocano-speaking tribal people living in  the village of Bucarot of this upland town have sought the help of the provincial government of Ilocos Norte headed by Gov. Imee Marcos in connection with the raging controversy over the alleged territorial claim on  their hamlet by the neighboring town of Calanasan in  Apayao.

Bucarot, a far-flung village on mountain side, can be reached by three-hour hiking from the town proper of Adams.

It is inhabited by about 40 families whose elders had alleged that there was a threat to eject them from their homes if they refused to be declared as bonafide residents of Calanasan.

To allay the fear of the Bucarot folks due to the controversy, Ilocos Norte Vice Governor Angelo Marcos Barba quickly reacted and proposed that the SangguniangPanglalawigan of Ilocos Norte chaired by him and the SangguniangPanglalawigan of Apayao chaired by their vice governor should hold a joint out-of-town session in order to resolve  the boundary dispute once and for all.

Vice Gov. Barba, however,  did not mention any date when the two provincial boards may hold the proposed joint SP session to tackle the border feud.

The joint session may take place as soon as possible in order to settle the row amicably  because the Bucarot  villagers are now confused due to the territorial claim, it was learned.

Sources said that some mediator experts had suggested that the venue of the joint session should be held in sitioBucarot so that all villagers as well as the town officials of Adams and Calanasan headed by Mayor Eric Bawingan and Mayor Ely Bulut, respectively, would attend the meeting and air their side on the issue. 

Bucarot elders alleged that there now concrete signs of  "intrusion" saying the Calanasan authorities had built lately a police outpost and a Day Care Center in their village. 

They further alleged that rumors had been circulating that the territorial claim by Calanasan cropped up because of a proposed gold mining exploration in the area.

This allegation, however, was denied by the Calanasan claimants.

Earlier, Adams Vice Mayor Wagner Poking told reporters that the Sangguniang Bayan chaired by him had already passed a municipal resolution seeking to sustain the status of sitioBucarot as part of the official territory of Adams.