‘Don’t let the next generations inherit your conflict’ - Tinglayan Mayor on Butbut-Betwagan boundary

Tinglayan, Kalinga – Tinglayan Mayor Gumilab, during a consultative meeting initiated by PNP Regional Office on Wednesday, January 27,2021, urged Butbut elders to end longstanding conflict between their tribe and Betwagan tribe of Mountain Province.

Gumilab said the elders should find solution to the existing problem and end the conflict the soonest for the the next generation not to inherit it.

“Alangan nga ipatawid tayu daytuy nga gulo kadagiti succeeding generation. Habang adda kayu nga panglakayen, habang adda kayu tatta, you should end this conflict today, you should find a solution tapnu han nga maipamana manen iti next nga generation,” the mayor told.

“Iti dawat ku kuma kadatayu nga kakailyan ket you should be open-minded ta nu anya ti napintas nga makita nga solusyon, suruten tayu ta nu ipapilit tayu ti bagi tayu nga han tayu nga acceptaren ti dadduma nga views nga mayat, awan tu ti mangmangyari,” he added.

The boundary dispute between the two tribes started in 2001 which was then solved through a peace pact in 2007, but again a disagreement between them arose in 2019.

In February 2020, a shooting incident transpired which broke the peace pact agreement. Several peace dialogues were then initiated by Police Regional Office-Cordillera (Procor) to solve the conflict.

During the meeting, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources presented testimonies of invited individuals from Barangay Basao and Barangay Saclit, areas located nearby the two opposing tribes, but then elders from Butbut refused to accept said statements as the boundaries they were trying to identify were not amenable to them.

“Ti madi da idiay ket diay kayat da nga boundary ket haan nga isu ti naitudu ket sabsabali ti naitudu isunga nga kasla han da nga patiyen. Han nga ammu dagidiay nagsau ta ubbing da kanu, dapat kanu diay panglakayen ngem itatta han met nga dakami ti agpili ti umay agsau, umay mangtestify ket ti invitation, its purpose ket who could among the elders could identify the boundaries, the old boundaries,” Provincial Director Davy Limmong said in an interview by Guru Press Cordillera.

Despite the decision made by Butbut elders, Limmong said they will still try to consult other sources for them to gather balanced information to solve said dispute and will stick to the main objective which is putting up or identifying the common boundaries which is acceptable to both tribes.

In a separate interview with Gumilab, he said he is grateful to the government agencies who helped mediate in said meeting .

“Han tayu kuma nga maum uma, we should not lose our patience tapnu tumulung tayu ta nu han tayu nga agmediate, talaga nga madi ti mapasamak ta ammu tayu nga dayta nga conflict ket nagrigat ta daga ti pagtutungtungan,” he said.

Gumilab cited the words of the brave hero, Macli-ing Dulag saying ,“Our land is the the gift of our Kabunian to us for us to live and for the future generation to live also. If you take away our land, you take away our lives because the land is our lives.”

“Isunga nga talaga nga narigat ti boundary dispute ta dituy Kalinga kadatayu amin, kasdiay kapateg iti ancestral domain,” the mayor explained.

The mayor said sufficient evidence through pieces of researches is needed to find a mutually- acceptable solution to both parties.

“Sunga kailangan nga mapan istadyen idiay Butbut ti side da, ammun met ti side iti Betwagan plus dagituy testimonies iti tribes ken maconduct kuma ti ocular inspection tapnu maawatan, once nga naalam ti itsura na, pagsisilpuwem ti pieces of evidence, mabalin nga agdecide iti government, mabalin na nga allukuyen dagituy nga duwwa nga tribes nga daytuy ti mutually-acceptable siguru nga settlement iti conflict.” Gumilab said.