TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Majority members of the feuding Naneng and Magnao sub-tribes want that the severed ‘bodong’ or peace pact should be restored the soonest to prevent the occurrence of untoward incidents that might ignite the conflict leading to unwanted loss of lives and damages to properties.
Engr. Andres Ngao-I, chairman of the city’s Mataguan Bodong Consultative Council (MBCC), disclosed that since the severance of the long-standing peace pact, numerous elders from both sub-tribes had been calling his attention for the needed intervention to abate whatever negative impact of the broken ‘bodong.’
He claimed that the MBCC will be convening to discuss the approaches that will be undertaken to intervene in the said problem because there is no peace pact to speak of due to the severance of the same initiated by the Naneng sub-tribe.
The MBCC pointed out that the advantage of the ‘bodong’ is that the members of the involved tribes will be able to discuss together the acceptable solutions to the conflict, shake hands and eat together which symbolizes the gentleman’s agreement to settle their problem.
However, Ngao-I argued that when a problem will be under the jurisdiction of concerned government agencies or the courts, it will take an uncertain period of time for the same to be settled where there will be winners and losers which does not actually solve the conflict but instead worsen the same because there will be parties that will not be satisfied with whatever decision forcing them to resort to whatever means to avenge with the other party what had been done to them.
He assured that the MBCC will explore avenues on how to bring back the severed peace pact between the feuding Naneng and Magnao Tribes so that the body will be able to have jurisdiction on the matter and work out the proposed solutions that will put an end to the brewing conflict.
Earlier, one of the members of the Naneng Tribe recently declared that their peace pact with the Magnao Tribe had already been severed because of the alleged failure of the latter to recognize the former’s manifestation relative to their conflict.
An emissary of the Naneng Tribe earlier delivered the ‘gupas’ or the severance notice of their peace pact with the Magnao Tribe just recently which might result to the escalation of hostilities between the members in the coming days.
Both the Naneng and Magnao sub-tribes are situated in the upper portion of the city.
The uncertainty in the peace pact between the 2 sub-tribes reportedly started when one of the members of the Naneng Tribe shot 2 members of the Magnao Tribe that resulted to the death of one and the hospitalization of the other last year.
Peace pact holders and elders from the 2 feuding tribes immediately met to enter into the so-called ‘bodong’ to prevent the further escalation of the conflict.
Under the peace pact agreement, the Naneng Tribe agreed to surrender the suspect who belongs to the tribe to the concerned authorities while the Magnao Tribe should acknowledge what the other tribe has done and accept the so-called ‘papod’ or the manifestation that their pace pact is not severed by agreeing to a settlement to prevent revenge and further killings between the involved tribes.
However, a member of the Naneng Tribe accused the Magnao Tribe of its alleged failure to comply with what was agreed where the latter should accept the manifestation as the same is in accordance to their peace pact.
According to the member of the Naneng Tribe, it is now more than a year that the Magnao Tribe did not yet manifest their willingness to submit to the earlier agreement where it means that the none acceptance of the manifestation means that the Magnao Tribe refuses the proposed settlement and that there is a tendency of a bloody revenge.
The Naneng Tribe member questioned the materiality of the peace pact when the other party referring to the Magnao Tribe does not want the proposed and agreed settlement.
The Naneng Tribe member stated that the severance of the peace pact by the holders themselves is intended to protect their fellow tribesmen as they will be fully aware on what to avoid to prevent the occurrence of untoward incidents that may compromise the safety of life and limb.
Some parties remain optimistic that the brewing conflict will be settled the soonest to prevent whatever worst scenario that may transpire which might again taint the image of the whole province as a peaceful and orderly locality so as not to negate the gains that had already been achieved in terms of growth and development beneficial to the greater interest of the people.
Kalinga tribes are known for the practice of ‘bodong’ or the so-called peace pact to defuse whatever tension between feuding tribes to ensure the continuous reign of peace and order in the whole province for the benefit of sustained growth had development that are being enjoyed by most of the populace.
