BONTOC, Mountain Province – Tribal elders of Tadian and Saclit defused a brewing tension between the two tribes after they were able to reach an amicable settlement of a case that involved members of the said tribes from western and eastern parts of the province.
Family members, barangay officials and members of the Council of Elders from both tribes met at the 4th floor of the Diocesan building, here, to formalize the agreed settlement of the case that virtually ended a supposed brewing tension among members of the two tribes.
Under the agreement furnished the Herald Express, a certain Jomar Tmmocho, a member of the Saclit tribe, will return to pursue his studies in one of the schools in Tadian while the relatives of the accused, who allegedly inflicted injuries to the victim, agreed in principle to guard the safety of the student while he will be studying in the municipality.
However, the elders from both parties advised the victim not to go out at night to prevent the occurrence of any unavoidable incident that will compromise his safety and security in Tadian.
The accused individuals and their parents paid to the victim and his parents the total amount of P390,000 pursuant to what had been agreed in previous negotiations wherein P90,000 will be exclusively devoted for the payment of the hospital bills of the victim when he was confined after the incident.
Part of the amount will also be used to shoulder the expenses to be incurred in the conduct of the necessary ritual to forther strengthen the ties between the two tribes.
In case the victim will return to the hospital for whatever purpose related to the earlier incident, the accused will be the ones to shoulder his expenses.
The agreement that was reached by the parties was released to help clarify the alleged false information circulating regarding the circumstances of the incident.
The parties agreed to enhance and strengthen their sisterhood ties for the benefit of the members of both tribes and to guarantee the continuous reign of law and order in the areas of jurisdiction of both tribes and to allow the safe and secured visit of the members of both tribes to their places and vice versa.
Further, the agreement was made public to show that age-old IP practices in amicably settling conflicts still continue to be observed for the immediate resolution of brewing conflicts to prevent the occurrence of untoward incidents that could result to loss of lives and damage to properties among members of the involved tribes.
The conduct of negotiations that led to the eventual signing of the compromise agreement among members of the Council of Elders of both tribes was well attended by the duly authorized representatives of Tadian and Saclit to show their concern for their involved constituents and for them to provide the needed advise for the concerned parties not to repeat similar offenses that will result to the severance of their sisterhood ties.
Tribes in the different parts of the Cordillera make it a point to amicably settle brewing conflicts that involve their members to prevent the cases filed to drag in court and to strengthen the bond among their members for the benefit of the present and future generations.
By HENT