Tongtong and the Council of Elders

LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL

Roger D. Sinot

 PINSAO PROPER, Baguio City – A second general assembly of Baguio ancestral land claimants was held at the Review Hall, Resurrection Church, Magsaysay Ave., Baguio City, on Nov. 29.

The main event of the program was induction of the Council of Elders of Baguio just after the welcome remarks and overview of the activity by lawyer Harriet Abyadang, the new adviser in the Baguio National Commission on Indigenous Peoples office who will also provide legal assistance to the CoEls.

 While on our seats, inducting officer city mayor Mauricio Domogan asked me how the Council of Elders came to be. So I had the chance to brief the mayor that last May 7, an assembly of land claimants in Baguio was held.

The claimants themselves nominated elders from their clusters who were present at that time. Around 40 were endorsed that was reduced to 19 members, and finally 10 who had their oath of office. The selection was based on their interest and dedication since being an elder is purely voluntary in nature.

 In the early days, when the heads of cows outnumbered the heads of men, the Ibaloy families occupied the present Baguio land. Long before the arrival of foreign colonizers and long before the city government of Baguio was established in 1909, the Ibaloys had their way of settling problems and conflicts.

This was the tongtong or tongtongan when the Council of Elders meet and decide on a solution. Customs and taboos were observed as unwritten laws. Though these practices were unwritten, every member of the family and the community had to abide by them as an attachment to their beliefs.

The Ibaloys obeyed the words of the baknangs (wealthy men) who perform the most feasts canyao, and the dadahay (elders) in their respective tribe or clan. On customs that become part of the unwritten laws, the council of elders then settled a case in a tongtong many years ago.

The man was advised by the elders from continuing his notorious stealing. The elders summoned the man and offered a purification ritual for his reformation. Despite all efforts and exhortations by the mambunongs (pagan priests),the man never reformed.

According to the custom, such person was subject of condemnation by the community. He was therefore looked down in the community as unworthy and an outcast. What made this a "shame custom" was the curse that followed. This was a conviction of shame and disgrace by customary law that was carried over to his innocent children. In short, it was taboo to get something that does not belong to you.

I recall my mother telling a story about a cattle thief in Kayapa, Nueva Vizcaya in the 60s, in a community called Pingkian. The policeman brought out a cow thief during the market day where people from the lowlands of Bambang and Aritao came to barter with the highlanders of Kayapa and Bokod.

It was a day of feasts in the town hall and the market. The cow thief had a placard hanging on his neck that said, "Haan dak nga toltoladen, agtatakawak ti baka" (Don't follow after me, I am a cow theif). He was made to walk around the market place where everyone saw him pulling the cow following behind him. The placard also stated his name.

This customary law was carried over to the offspring that when the son of the thief stated his name in a gathering, one would say, "Yes I know, you are the son or the grandson of the cow thief."

 This Council of Elders that was newly installed does not go back to do the same that the elders did in the past, but rather it was formed to make amicable settlements among heirs, relatives and clans as far as ancestral lands are concerned so that an alternative conflict resolution is done and their land application will smoothly sail in the process. “To protect, uphold and promote the rights and interests of the Ibaloy community as IPs, in harmony with our customs and traditions and not contrary to law" was the gist of the oath we pledged.

Last May 9,  the Council of Elders in resolution No 01-2014 strongly urged the NCIP to “lift the moratorium” on the processing of applications for Certificate of Ancestral Land Titles issued under Memorandum No. 513, so as to allow the processing and issuance of CALTs that the Ibaloys of Baguio City have strived for. Through the CoEls, we pray that the CALTs and CADTs go to nobody but the rightful applicants whose applications properly underwent the tedious government processes, hoping this would lead to the issuance of CALTs.

An unspecified number of ancestral land claimants have already died without seeing the fruit of their struggles. We just hope that our prayers are granted in memory of our ancestors who have long believed that this piece of paper called CALT be realized. So help us Apo Kabunyan God!