Kalinga tribal war averted over slay of two jail guards

By Dexter A. See

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — Peacepact holders and law enforcers in this province averted a brewing war between two tribes over the recent murder of two jail guards by holding negotiations for the surrender of the suspect in the crime and putting in place security operations.

Officials said the immediate intervention of peace pact holders, tribal leaders and concerned law enforcement agencies after the murder of the guards from two influential tribes in the province and the wounding of another from Mountain Province prevented the aggrieved tribes from avenging the loss of their members.

Senior Supt. Virgilio Laya, director of the Kalinga provincial police office, said the prime suspect in the murder of Jail Officer 1 Roel Martinez of Lubo, Tanudan town and JO1 Patricio Lungao of Luplupa, Tinglayan town, both in Kalinga, is the son of a punong barangay in this city who belongs to one of the two Kalinga tribes involved in the case.

He said efforts are being undertaken to facilitate the surrender of the suspect to prevent tribal war.

Police investigation showed Martinez, Lungao and another jail guard, JO1 Marcian Afawag of Bontoc, Mountain Province, were having their break in a store fronting the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology compound in Barangay Bulanao here when they were shot by the gunman who positioned himself in a canal near the store for a full view of his targets.

Members of the scene of the crime operation team recovered 20 spent shells and one bullet from an M-16 rifle at the scene.

Kalinga had been known for bloody tribal wars in the past. But tribal leaders have recently realized the serious effects of such fratricides and resorted to more peaceful means of settling differences.