Police deploy forces to Tinglayan amid renewed tribal fighting

BAGUIO CITY — The Police Regional Office in the Cordillera Region sent police personnel to Tinglayan, Kalinga, after fighting broke out again between the Butbut and Tulgao tribes.

The responding force consists of officers from Regional Mobile Force Battalion 15 and the Mountain Province Provincial Mobile Force Company (PMFC).

Police forces are on the ground conducting visibility patrols, coordinating with local officials and tribal elders, and carrying out community outreach under Oplan Bandillo to prevent retaliation. Officers with personal or cultural links to the involved communities were specifically included in the deployment to help mediate and ease tensions between the groups.

The conflict disrupted a three-month ceasefire signed on 30 July 2026, which was intended to halt fighting over long-standing boundary disputes. Earlier peace efforts involved mediation alongside traditional exchanges known as sipat. Tribal elders and civil society representatives had previously noted that short-term ceasefires remain fragile unless the formal rules of the traditional peace pact system, known as the bodong, are fully observed.

Because of the active shooting incidents, local authorities issued safety advisories restricting travel to seven mountain villages, including Buscalan, Tulgao East, and Tulgao West. Schools in these areas also shifted to remote learning to keep students and teachers away from potential crossfire.

The regional police called on tribal elders and community members to stop hostilities and resolve their differences through customary tribal systems and legal channels. Security forces will remain in Tinglayan to maintain order and protect residents while peace talks continue.