April 21, 2022, of the shooting incident that resulted in the death of Ferdinand Wingnga Dao-inon (whose parents are from Naneng and Pangol) on March 4, 2022 in Barangay Bulanao, Tabuk City, Kalinga, which crime was committed by July Gunnay from Basao.
The Basao subtribe will pay the victim’s family a P500,000.00 indemnity as an amicable settlement for the victim’s death; the Bodong Holder of Naneng will be paid a P50,000.00 “Pagikna”; the total indemnity will be given to the family as soon as both tribes reach an agreement; and the victim’s family will no longer pursue a lawsuit are among the conditions agreed upon by both parties in the settlement.
The Settlement Agreement was signed on April 20, 2022, by William Puday, Sr., Chairperson of the Provincial Bodong Council of Elders (PBCE).
Matagoan Bodong Consultative Council (MBCC) members, headed by Andres Ngao-i, Sr., addressed the issue of the two sub-tribes a few days after the victim’s funeral with the goal of maintaining peace and order in the city and restore the bodong between the two tribes.
Members of the Matagoan Bodong Consultative Council (MBCC) met with family members of the deceased, as well as representatives from the Pangol and Naneng subtribes, on March 23, 2022, to discuss the possibility of a peaceful resolution. According to a petition filed with the MBCC, the family sought P1 million and 1 hectare of irrigated land as compensation, as evidenced in a paper signed by the deceased.
The elders and leaders of Basao and Naneng continued to negotiate, and the PBCE members were made aware of the situation. The Naneng subtribe’s delegation was led by Punong Barangay Alejandro Cos-agon of Barangay Bagumbayan, while the Basao negotiators were led by Mosling Bun-as, a well-known tribal leader and elder of Basao. Through the provincial government PBCE and the city government MBCC, negotiators from both tribes and neutral tribes have worked relentlessly to bring both tribes together on an equal footing.
On April 20, 2022, both sides finalized the above-mentioned final settlement agreement after a long day of negotiations at the PBCE headquarters.
When Mayor Darwin Estrañero learned of the outcome, he was delighted that both the victim’s and suspect’s families had come to an agreement, with the victim’s family having direct access to the bargaining table.
“Giving people the chance and support to collectively think about and explore solutions at the local level is a good thing,” the Mayor stated, “since peace and order are essential components in maintaining the city’s economic success, social order, and political stability.”
He commended the PBCE and MBCC members for their tireless efforts and dedication to settling sub-tribal problems and keeping Tabuk City as the “Matagoan Zone or Zone of Life.”
“Those impacted by and participating in conflict must own and identify with the answers and solutions to the conflict if a lasting peace is to have a chance. And, in the case of tribal communities in Tabuk City and Kalinga in general, they demonstrate the ability to resolve conflicts for the sake of maintaining and keeping the peace, and, allows them to move away from violence in this time and age, through the Bodong system, which continues to guide the Kalinga people.”
By CPIO
