BAGUIO CITY — An indigenous women's advocacy group in the Cordillera is calling for an immediate end to the ongoing tribal conflict between the Betwagan and Butbut tribes following a recent shooting incident.

The Betwagan tribe is based in Betwagan, Sadanga, Mountain Province, while the Butbut tribe is in Tinglayan, Kalinga.

According to Innabuyog-Gabriela, gunfire allegedly from members of the Betwagan tribe toward the Butbut community on 5 August 2026 seriously injured a woman who was on her way to feed livestock.

The group appealed to both tribes to initiate the traditional peace process known as "warang" or "sipat" through designated mediators.

Under the customary practice, a tribe seeking peace sends an iron weapon, such as a spear, bolo or axe, to the opposing tribe as a formal declaration of a unilateral ceasefire.

Innabuyog-Gabriela emphasized the humanitarian impact of tribal conflicts, noting that women, children and the elderly often suffer the most.

Citing a 2004 Binodngan People's Organization primer, the group recalled that the Lubo-Mangali tribal war in Kalinga from 1978 to 1983 claimed the lives of 20 Mangali individuals, including women and children. It also cited a 1999 conflict between the Dallic and Pidlisan tribes in Mountain Province that displaced more than 600 women and children from Dallic to Guinaang.

("Binodngan" refers to a member or resident of an ili, or village or sub-tribe, covered by a bodong, or indigenous peace pact.)

The group urged both communities to reject vengeance and uphold indigenous traditions that protect human life, stressing that intertribal conflict brings no lasting benefit and instead undermines the self-determination of Indigenous Peoples.

Calls for peace were echoed on a social media page believed to be managed by a member of the Butbut tribe, which demanded accountability from Sadanga Mayor Robert Wanawan.

The post urged local officials to intervene and stop attacks on the community, condemning the shooting of civilian homes and the wounding of innocent residents.

It also called on the Tinglayan Municipal Police Station to ensure accurate and detailed reporting of the incident to prevent conflicting accounts of how the violence began.