Kalinga officials eye task force ending tribal conflicts

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — Despite 10 formal peace dialogues and 103 days of continuous security deployments, the long-standing conflict between the Butbut and Tulgao tribes in Tinglayan municipality remains unresolved, prompting regional authorities to push for a dedicated provincial task force.

Lieutenant Colonel Jimric Obias, commander of the 103rd Infantry Battalion, proposed establishing a Provincial Task Force to End Tribal Armed Conflict during a special meeting of the Provincial Peace and Order Council on Monday, led by Kalinga Governor James S. Edduba at the Capitol Hills in Barangay Bulanao.

Obias reported that security forces have maintained an uninterrupted presence in the affected areas for over three months. Despite repeated mediation attempts and informal talks, active hostilities have persisted, resulting in three civilian casualties.

The proposed task force is intended to unify government agencies, civil society groups, and local communities under a synchronized strategy.

Beyond halting immediate violence, the body is designed to address the underlying socioeconomic causes of tribal disputes and manage other active feuds across Kalinga province.

During the meeting, representatives from the religious group KARSA offered to assist in mediation, while Tinglayan Mayor Charles Abay stressed that municipal officials from the warring areas must be consulted continuously during all conflict-resolution steps.

Matagoan Bodong Consultative Council chairman Andres Ngao-i reminded uniformed personnel from local tribes that they are bound by law enforcement mandates and must remain impartial peacekeepers rather than participating in tribal hostilities governed by customary bodong (peace pact) rules.

In a separate statement issued Tuesday, civil society organization SAVE Kalinga Inc. expressed deep alarm over the escalating boundary feud and urged state authorities to enforce an immediate ceasefire, establish visible buffer zones, and maintain continuous ground leadership.

The group called for full public transparency and requested formal inclusion in public consultations and peace pact negotiations alongside police, military, and tribal leaders, stressing that state institutions must actively exercise their statutory duties to protect residents.