TABUK CITY, Kalinga – An 8-man body was formed by the Mataguan Bodong Consultative Council (MBCC) to mediate the possible restoration of the severed ‘bodong’ or peace pact between the Naneng and Magno sub-tribes to avoid the escalation of the conflict.
MBCC chairman Engr. Andres Ngao-i said that one of the primary functions of the committee is to ensure there are no untoward incidents that transpire between the members of the two feuding tribes after the peace pact had been broken so that the chances of restoring the ‘bodong’ will be greater.
Further, he added there is a need to pursue the desire of the majority of the members of both tribes to restore the broken peace pact thus the need to ensure no unnecessary incidents will transpire while efforts to restore this are being done by concerned sectors.
“We do not want to add on to the prevailing heat that is why we want cooler heads to work for the restoration of the severed bodong. It is the desire of the majority members of both tribes that the bodong be restored and for them to start working on a lasting solution to their problem,” Ngao-i stressed.
The MBCC chairman pointed out that the government is burdened by numerous problems which is taking too long for concerned agencies and even the courts to settle the problems of the people.
However, he explained that under the ‘bodong’ system, both parties are allowed to peacefully and amicably settle their problems to their utmost satisfaction through the efforts of the peace pact holders thus there are no aggrieved parties in such instances.
As a demonstration of the final resolution of a conflict, conflicting parties simultaneously partake of the food and execute a handshake that symbolizes their agreement to the terms and conditions leading to the settlement of individual and tribal conflicts.
According to him, the city government headed by Mayor Darwin C. Estrañero does not want the situation to further escalate to avoid tainting a bad image of the city, especially during the ongoing gradual and safe revival of the local economy that was heavily impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Ngao-i emphasized that he will give marching orders to the members of the committee to enhance the engagements with the elders of both tribes and get their commitments that there will be no escalation of conflict while works are underway to restore the severed peace pact.
He admitted that it will be difficult for the MBCC to handle the situation once there will be untoward incidents that will transpire between the members of both tribes, especially when one among them will be unnecessarily harmed, because this will surely result in the escalation of the conflict.