Home | To bottom

Bugnay resumes attacks against Betwagan — PNP

BONTOC, Mt. Province (May 19) — Warriors from Bugnay tribe of Tinglayan, Kalinga allegedly destroyed irrigation canals and killed a pregnant carabao of its neighboring Betwagan tribe near the boundary contested by the two tribes, according to the report from the Sadanga Philippine National Police (PNP).

Betwagan is a village of Sadanga town here. It is a one-hour drive from this provincial capital town.

The said irrigation canals traverse the Betwagan sitios Malidchay, Sorngan, Chaliwatey and Egar. The destruction of properties allegedly occurred between the first week of April and May 3, the Sadanga PNP said in its report.

The said canals irrigate rice fields of the Betwagan tribe now in a tribal war with Bugnay as the latter’s peace pact holder returned their warang (a bolo which represents a peace token) with Betwagan on March 8 this year, severing the bodong (peace pact) between the two tribes. This incident arose from their unsettled boundary conflict. The contested boundary is reportedly the irrigation sources of the Betwagan rice fields.

The report also contains that a pregnant carabao, owned by Ernesto Gayyaman, was allegedly shot to death by Bugnay warriors in Mount Egar on May 3. The carabao was shot on the lift rib and the bullet failed to exit, said Sadanga Senior Police Officer III Eduardo C. Amboni Jr. in a report to OIC Provincial Police Director William Aspilan.

The police report, quoting Betwagan tribesmen, stated that the residents believed that the Bugnay warriors destroyed their irrigation canals. Their allegation was based on the practice of the warring tribes of cutting off the irrigation source to disrupt the water flow. The PNP added that whoever comes to fix the irrigation becomes a target by the attacking tribe.

“Their (Betwagan tribe) suspicion was further confirmed when they received information from Bugnay warning them not to restore the destroyed irrigation canals,” stated the report of SPO III Amboni Jr.

“Abide by peace agreements”

Results of police investigation conducted on May 4 were also submitted to Bontoc Mayor Alfonso Kiat-ong Sr. who serves as a mediator of the conflicting tribes.

As a result of the incidents, Kiat-ong, in his efforts to contain any vengeance from either tribe, recently asked Tinglayan Mayor Johnny D. Maymaya to advise the i-Bugnay of Tinglayan “to immediately stop such unwanted activity and/or other activities and instead abide with all the peace agreements that are still existing between them and the Betwagan people.”

Kiat-ong, in his letter, also aired the request of the Betwagan tribe to enter a sipat (peace pact agreement) with Brgy. Butbut Proper. The Butbut tribe is composed of barangays Bugnay, Ngibat, Buscalan, and Butbut proper. A bodong with the Butbut tribe affects all the said barangays.

Bugnay deviates from peace call

Bugnay Barangay Captain Suplay Alunday appreciated Kiat-ong’s concern for the settlement of the tribal conflict of Bugnay and Betwagan.

He, however, insisted that their peace pact holder, Tayab Aboli conducted a celebration of their pact but alleged that the Betwagan failed to celebrate the final pact as it was not done in the house of their (Betwagan) peace pact holder whom they alleged to be unidentified. Betwagan elders denied the claim as they named their peace pact holder with Bugnay to be Fag-ay Kayyaman.

“Daytoy kunada a sumipat ti main barangay Butbut Proper ket saanmi a problema, isunga saanda iyenyenom ti sipat mi a taga-Bugnay ta barangay Butbut Proper met gayam ti kayat da a kabodong”, (Their request to have a sipat with barangay Butbut is not our problem, we understand that they failed to celebrate our sipat (agreement) because they want Butbut proper to be their kabodong), added Suplay, who is an officer of the Armed Forces Philippines (AFP) when his Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army (CPLA) was integrated into that institution through an order issued by Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Mediators claim that Bugnay is evading the restoration of their bodong, including the some 60 carabaos allegedly taken by the Bugnay tribesmen in the contested boundary area.

“We are committed to help in the restoration of the Betwagan-Bugnay bodong,” ended Kiat-ong. NORDIS learned from Kiat-ong that Bontoc has an existing bodong with Bugnay and Betwagan. # Arthur L. Allad-iw for NORDIS

Home | Back to top