Gov mediates warring Kalinga, Mt Prov tribes; talks held to end conflict

By Aldwin Quitasol

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- Kalinga Gov. James Edduba met peace marchers of Mountain Province in a bid to convince the warring tribes of Bekigan of Sadanga, Mountain Province and Butbut of Tinglayan, Kalinga to stop hostilit4es which had claimed several lives the past years in their protracted  “tribal war.”
    The provincial government of Kalinga bared this Thursday, saying Edduba — who chairs the province’s Provincial Peace and Order Council said he was hopeful a swift resolution to the boundary conflict between the two tribes will be done.
    He said a recent meeting between elders from two tribes with government officials in Kalinga.
    Both Kalinga and Mountain Province officials have united to create a dedicated peace task force, which will operate on the ground to mediate and seek concessions from both tribes to achieve peaceful resolution to the conflict.
    The task force is expected to play vital role in ending the conflict.
    A meeting was set Oct. 20 here in Bontoc, as the two provinces worked collaboratively to bring an end to the conflict.
    Details of the meeting were not disclosed at press time.