Tribal clash at Kalinga-Mountain Province boundary leaves one dead
Photo grab from the video of the encounter between Betwagan Tribe of Sadanga, Mountain Province and Butbut Tribe of Tinglayan, Kalinga.
Daily TribunePhoto grab from the video of the encounter between Betwagan Tribe of Sadanga, Mountain Province and Butbut Tribe of Tinglayan, Kalinga.
BAGUIO CITY – Renewed hostilities between the Butbut Tribe of Tinglayan, Kalinga and the Betwagan Tribe of Sadanga, Mountain Province left one person dead on 27 June, authorities said.
The fatality, a member of the Butbut Tribe, was killed during the clash at Mt. Tummuwad, according to the Kalinga Police.
Police said law enforcement personnel have been deployed to the area to prevent further escalation of the conflict.
The Kalinga provincial government has endorsed the issue to the Cordillera Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) in a bid to find a lasting solution to the longstanding boundary dispute between the two tribes.
Local officials and a joint peace task force are mediating between tribal elders to reach a permanent settlement and restore normalcy in communities along the disputed boundary.
The conflict stems from competing claims over land and water resources, particularly around Mt. Ikar. The dispute dates back to the early 2000s, when disagreements over territorial boundaries, pasture lands, and natural resources led to the collapse of traditional peace pacts between the two tribes.
Over the years, intermittent clashes and shooting incidents have disrupted farming, trade, and the education of children in affected communities. Provincial peace councils previously declared portions of the disputed area a no-man's land under government security.
Previous mediation efforts have repeatedly stalled due to conflicting historical claims over the boundary.
Leaders of the Betwagan Tribe have maintained that traditional boundary markers established in the mid-1970s should be recognized, while Butbut elders have asserted a different interpretation of the territory. The disagreement has caused several ceasefire agreements and government-led negotiations to collapse.
Kalinga Provincial Police Director Gilbert Fati-ig urged both tribes to exercise restraint and continue dialogue through their elders and leaders.
He said armed conflict endangers lives and undermines peace and development in the affected communities.