Kalinga, Mountain Province tribes sign two-month truce

LUBUAGAN, Kalinga — The Betwagan tribe of Mountain Province and the Butbut tribe of Kalinga have agreed to halt hostilities for two months as they work toward a lasting peace agreement.

Representatives of the tribes signed an interim ceasefire and peace agreement during the Bugnay-Betwagan Peace Dialogue at Awichon Cultural Village in Lubuagan on 10 September.

Under the agreement, both sides committed to stop armed conflict, retaliatory and revenge attacks, threats, harassment, intimidation, provocation and other hostile actions.

The temporary ceasefire may be extended upon mutual agreement.

During the truce, tribal leaders and representatives will prepare for the formal establishment of a “sipat,” or traditional peace pact, through the customary bodong system, councils of elders and other recognized Indigenous mechanisms.

Both communities pledged to exercise restraint during misunderstandings and refrain from armed mobilization.

The agreement also applies to digital spaces, prohibiting social media statements or activities that could provoke violence or reignite tensions.

Retaliation, revenge and collective punishment are strictly prohibited.

Any dispute or violation of the agreement will be addressed through dialogue involving tribal elders, local officials, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Both tribes also committed to identifying and safely clearing booby traps and other hazardous devices from disputed areas, with assistance from security forces when necessary.

The agreement followed years of consultations among elders, community leaders, local and provincial officials, civil society organizations and security personnel.

While reaffirming traditional conflict-resolution systems such as the bodong, both tribes acknowledged that national laws and the Constitution must be followed.

Police and military units will maintain their presence in the area to preserve public safety and order.

The dialogue was attended by representatives of the Philippine Army, local governments of Sadanga and Tinglayan, Kalinga provincial government, Congress, Department of the Interior and Local Government, disaster risk reduction offices, Indigenous peoples’ agencies and barangays.

Representatives stressed that the expiration of the agreement would not justify a resumption of hostilities, as both communities remained committed to finding a permanent solution.

Decades-old territorial disputes along the border of Betwagan in Mountain Province and Bugnay in Tinglayan, Kalinga, have strained relations between the two tribes.

Tensions recently escalated over cattle grazing and contested boundaries, prompting local authorities to declare disputed areas off-limits to prevent violence.

Previous peace efforts stalled over unresolved land claims and historical grazing rights. A recent ceasefire collapsed after a shooting in a disputed area, leading to renewed tensions, the deployment of police and military personnel and talks between provincial governments on establishing a permanent administrative boundary.