The Manila Times

2 governors to mediate conflict between tribes

BY DEXTER SEE

SAGADA: Mountain Province Gov. Bonifacio Lacwasan Jr. and Kalinga Gov. James Edubba agreed to go BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD TO fiND WAYS on how to arrive at a “win-win” solution that will lead to the settlement of the BREWING CONflICT BETWEEN THE BETWAGAN tribe of Sadanga, Mountain Province and the Butbut tribe of the neighboring town OF TINGLAYAN, KALINGA.

The agreement between the two provincial chief executives was reached during their short meeting after the kickoff ceremony for the celebration of the 35th founding anniversary of the Cordillera Administrative Region held at the St. Mary’s School Inc. here.

Edubba attended the opening ceremony to reiterate the province’s support to the region’s renewed quest for autonomy and to personally bring to the attention of Lacwasan his desire to jointly work together for the settlement of the said tribal dispute that is affecting the overall peace and order situation in the whole region.

Lacwasan immediately agreed to Edubba’s proposal for them to personally oversee the peace process.

While there were gains in the previous peace negotiations, he claimed that there is a need to continue the peace talks so that all issues and concerns will be addressed.

The governors also agreed to engage the involved tribal groups and solicit their active participation in the negotiation.

Both officials stipulated that they are advocates of peace and are duty-bound to look for ways on how to convince the parties to agree to the sipat or the so-called exchange of peace tokens which will be an initial step towards the attainment of peace between the two feuding tribes.

Lacwasan and Edubba also pointed out that it is always the women and children who are afFECTED WHENEVER THERE ARE CONflICTS between tribes.

The Betwagan tribe belongs to a single village in Sadanga town while the Butbut tribe inhabits five villages in nearby Tinglayan town.

Regions

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2022-07-05T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-07-05T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://digitaledition.manilatimes.net/article/281745568086917

The Manila Times