“Usaren mi kuma nu 40 days ni ading ko ngem tinakaw da metten” : Grieving family’s carabao in Bulanao, Tabuk stolen

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — A grieving family in Tabuk City is appealing for help in locating their carabao, which was reportedly stolen from their yard early Wednesday morning and was supposed to be used for the 40-day commemoration of their departed loved one.

Thelma Dongdongan Manongyao told GURU Press Cordillera that they discovered the carabao missing from their yard in Purok 5, Bulanao on August 19.

She said the livestock was still in the yard at around 3 a.m., but was already gone when they checked at approximately 6 a.m.

According to Manongyao, the carabao was intended for the 40-day commemoration of her brother’s death scheduled for September.

“Usaren mi kuma nu 40 days na ni ading ko ngem tinakaw da metten,” she said.

The family is now appealing to anyone who may have seen the carabao or have information that could help identify the person responsible for its disappearance to contact them or the Tabuk City Police.

Manongyao said any information that could lead to the recovery of the livestock would be deeply appreciated by the family, which is still grieving the loss of their loved one.

Cattle rustling remains a concern

Cattle rustling—the unlawful taking, killing, or harvesting of large domesticated animals such as cattle, carabaos, and horses without the owner’s consent—is considered an index crime in the Philippines.

According to PNP Kalinga data, no cattle-rustling cases were documented in the province from April 1 to June 2026.

The family, meanwhile, continues to hope that their carabao will be recovered in time for the planned 40-day commemoration.