Kalinga peace efforts gain momentum as Butbut seeks dialogue with provincial officials and Tulgao expresses openness to 'sipat'

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — Efforts to restore peace between the Butbut and Tulgao tribes in Tinglayan are gaining momentum following the Butbut community’s request to meet key provincial officials who could help strengthen dialogue and advance peace negotiations.

During the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) meeting on October 26 at the Provincial Capitol, Governor James S. Edduba said Board Members Alfredo Dangani and Julius “Glenn” Amla were recommended to engage with the Butbut community, while Vice Governor Dave Q. Odiem was also requested to visit the tribe.

The proposed engagement is expected to strengthen communication between the provincial government and the Butbut community, including the tribe’s representation in PPOC discussions as authorities work toward a peaceful resolution of the longstanding ancestral boundary dispute.

Lt. Col. Jimrhic B. Obias, commander of the 103rd Infantry Battalion, confirmed that Dangani and Amla were among the officials identified by the Butbut community during the battalion’s recent visit. He also informed the council that the tribe had requested a visit from Odiem.

“Requested din po kayo, Vice Gov, ng Butbut to visit them,” Obias told the council.

Edduba recommended that Dangani and Amla visit the community together, citing Dangani’s ancestral ties to the Butbut and Dananao tribes as a potential bridge in strengthening engagement with the community.

The recommendation to involve the two board members in PPOC discussions also aims to provide the Butbut tribe with a channel to communicate its concerns and perspectives during provincial peace and order deliberations.

In another positive development, Obias reported that the Butbut tribe had committed to refrain from further hostile actions against the Tulgao community.

Meanwhile, Tulgao West Punong Barangay Ruben T. Ganagan expressed openness to holding a sipat in November, a traditional process intended to help restore peaceful relations between the two tribes.

The proposed meetings with provincial officials, the Butbut community’s commitment to avoid further hostilities, and the possible November sipat are seen as opportunities to build trust, sustain dialogue, and move peace negotiations forward in Tinglayan.