MBCC led taskforce formed in Tabuk to prevent retaliation and keep Bubut-Tulgao conflict spillover

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — Tabuk City has activated a new task force tasked with preventing the ongoing Butbut-Tulgao tribal conflict in Tinglayan from affecting the city's peace and security, according to Tabuk City Information office.

The report of the TCIO released on September 19, 2026 said the Executive Order No. 54, Series of 2026 created the Butbut-Tulgao Matagoan Task Force as a coordinating and peacebuilding mechanism to strengthen early warning, security coordination and dialogue amid renewed tensions between the two tribes.

The task force is specifically directed to prevent retaliation and the possible spillover of the conflict into Tabuk City, particularly in areas where residents, students, workers, businesses and visitors could potentially be affected.

Rather than settle the long-running boundary dispute, the task force will focus on prevention and coordination. Its responsibilities include establishing early-warning mechanisms, facilitating peace dialogues, coordinating with law enforcement and helping secure public facilities, schools, transportation routes and commercial areas.

The executive order also makes clear that the task force has no authority to determine ancestral-domain boundaries, land ownership or territorial claims. Such matters remain subject to customary law and the appropriate judicial and national government institutions.

The body will be chaired by Matagoan Bodong Consultative Council (MBCC) Coordinator Andres Ngao-i, with MBCC representative Marcelino U. Wacas as co-chairperson. Tabuk City Chief of Police PLTCOL Romar I. Pacis will serve as vice chairperson, while City Legal Officer Kristian B. Wandag will serve as co-vice chairperson.

The task force also includes representatives of the Butbut and Tulgao communities in Tabuk, as well as officials from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Armed Forces of the Philippines, City Schools Division, disaster management offices and indigenous community groups.

Recent developments

The creation of the task force comes as authorities have intensified security and peace efforts following renewed tensions between the Butbut and Tulgao tribes in Tinglayan.

September 16. The Tinglayan municipal government issued an advisory asking tourists, visitors, tour operators and guides to temporarily avoid seven barangays—Tulgao East, Tulgao West, Loccong, Ngibat, Proper Butbut, Bugnay and Buscalan—while authorities and tribal elders work to address the conflict.

On the same day, the Kalinga Provincial Peace and Order Council convened an emergency meeting to discuss the renewed hostilities. Security measures were strengthened, while schools and higher education institutions began implementing alternative learning arrangements and additional campus security measures for affected students.

September 17. Authorities warned uniformed personnel belonging to the two tribes against participating in the conflict. The 503rd Infantry Brigade also said soldiers found providing physical or logistical support to either side could face administrative action. Police investigators and Scene of the Crime Operations personnel were deployed to gather evidence related to the recent shooting and establish what happened.

Schools and universities in Kalinga also tightened security. Kalinga State University, for instance, imposed stricter campus entry procedures, including identification checks, inspections and additional security measures, while adopting temporary learning arrangements for affected members of its community.

September 18. KSU formally announced strengthened campus security and temporary alternative learning arrangements because of the continuing security situation involving the Butbut-Tulgao conflict.

A Cordillera elder also called for the traditional sipat process to form part of efforts toward a lasting settlement, stressing that a ceasefire alone does not resolve the underlying causes of a tribal conflict.

September 19. Authorities maintained restrictions affecting seven barangays in Tinglayan. Tourists could still enter Buscalan, but visitors were required to sign a waiver while the temporary lockdown and travel restrictions remained in effect, according to the Tinglayan police chief. Peacekeeping forces were also deployed in affected areas, while alternative learning arrangements continued for some students.

The latest developments prompted Tabuk City to strengthen its own preventive mechanism, particularly because the city serves as a major center for government services, education, health care, commerce and transportation in Kalinga.

Through the new task force, city authorities aim to maintain Tabuk as a neutral and secure area, while supporting peacebuilding efforts and ensuring that tensions between the two tribes do not disrupt the city's communities and essential services.

The Butbut-Tulgao conflict traces to a longstanding dispute over ancestral boundaries. The two tribes previously entered into a temporary ceasefire on July 30, with negotiations intended to continue through traditional peace processes. However, reports of renewed hostilities in September led authorities to reinforce security and mediation efforts.