“Willing iti taga Tinglayan nga tumulong nga maresolba ti conflict between Butbut and Betwagan tribes…” - Mayor Charles Abay

Tinglayan, Kalinga – Recognizing the repercussions of the long-standing feud between the Butbut and Betwagan tribes, Mayor Charles Abay, said in an interview with Guru Press Cordillera, the willingness of the LGU and his tribe to help - this paved the way for four barangays in Tinglayan to host the peace talks between the two last September 27, 2025 in Poblacion.

Betwagan and Butbut tribes have again been in conflict since their peace pact was severed in 2019 following clashes.

Mayor Abay recounted in the interview that he received a call from Sadanga Mayor Robert Wanawan asking if Tinglayan is willing to host the talks, and thus he called Former Mayor Johnny Maymaya, one of the elders and leaders of the Kalinga Bodong Council to lend a hand in the preparations.

Abay added that he also convened the ‘Tongrayan’ tribe which is composed of four barangays in the municipality – Ambato, Luplupa, Old Tinglayan, and Poblacion to discuss the matter - the four barangays later agreed.

With the four villages hosting the peace talk dialogue, Butbut and Betwagan came together on September 27 in Poblacion where they signed a Ceasefire Agreement as the first step to show their willingness to end the conflict. In the agreement, both supported the cessation of hostilities for two months and expressed commitment to work out a formal and permanent peace pact.

Abay relayed that the Tongrayan tribe remains ready to facilitate and help with the restoration of peace between Butbut and Betwagan as they felt the struggles of the people especially students and patients due to the conflict.

“Willing iti taga Tinglayan nga tumulong nga maresolba ti conflict between Butbut and Betwagan tribes. Maysa nga rason, narikna ti kakailyan nga marigatan dagitoy taga Butbut, not only Bugnay, whole Butbut dayta ta lalo ket Mountain Province iti pinakaasideg nga mapanan da iti iskwela ken hospital ket marikna iti taga Tinglayan [Tongrayan tribe] nga marigatan da piman ta ditoy Tinglayan, Lubuagan, and Tabuk iti pagtarayan dan imbis nga idiay Mountain Province nga as-asideg kuma,” Abay explained.

The Tinglayan Mayor, meantime, conveyed that he is happy with the outcome of the September 27 talks and thanked both the Butbut and Betwagan tribes, their leaders and elders for their commitment to restoring harmony. He likewise extended his appreciation to the national line agencies, Governor James Edduba, barangays, and the Sadanga LGU and Kalinga and Mountain Province PLGU for their support and lending hands to fix the severed ties between Butbut and Betwagan.