Diffusing tension

From the Mindanao Times (Jan 21): Diffusing tension

Council of Elders to tackle clan war in Talaingod after 2 killed

THE COUNCIL of Elders in Talaingod, Davao del Norte will convene soon with the two parties involved to find resolution on the killing of a farmer and a 15-year-old student last Sunday.

Alibando Tingkas, a 15-year-old student of Salugpungan School in Talaingod was allegedly shot down by paramilitary group at 3 p.m. after  a Lumad farmer identified as Donato Salangani was also killed allegedly by members of the New People’s Army in Sitio Sambulangan, Barangay Baugan at 7 a.m. on the same day.

Joven and Donato were cousins.

According to the Save Our Schools network spokesperson, Ruis Valle, Tingkas was allegedly killed by suspect  Joven Salangani, said to be a member of the paramilitary group, Alamara.

Datu Lumansad Sibugan of the Manobo tribe said Tingkas was allegedly a casualty of an ongoing tribal war.

“The death of Tingkas was a retaliation on the death of Donato,” he said. “There’s no Alamara (paramilitary group) involved.”

“Now, what the council will do is to negotiate with the families to ensure that no more blood will spill over. We will find out the reason behind the killing of Donato and why Tingkas was killed,” he added.

Sibugan already figured in the news in last year when he threatened to declare a pangayaw (tribal war) against his fellow Lumads if they won’t pack up from UCCP Haran compound and return to their villages in Talaingod.

“We will dialogue with the other tribal leaders and if we won’t come to an agreement, that’s when we will declare the pangayaw,” he told TIMES then. “Whether they like it or not, we will take the children, women and elderly from the Haran and bring them back to their homes.”

Col. Ricardo Nepomuceno, commander of 1003rd Infantry Brigade, told reporters yesterday during the AFP-PNP press conference held in Davao City Police Office, that Tingkas was a “collateral damage” of a tribal war, instigated by the NPA.

 “Donato was killed by the NPAs coming from the other tribe,” he said. “So the family of Donato retaliated but unfortunately, the first person they saw was the teenager.”

Meanwhile, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) will investigate the alleged involvement of the Alamara on the death of Tingkas.

“The investigators will go to the area to conduct an in-depth investigation if we could assure the security of the investigators because Tingkas was reportedly a victim of pangayaw,” CHR officer-in-charge Joy T. Montero said, referring to clan wars.

She said the agency received pieces of information from Datu Ugkang and barangay councilor Juan Intot, although she said the perpetrators were not identified.

Reports reaching the headquarters of 10thID revealed that Donato Salangani was harvesting abaca with his wife, daughters and other companions when he was shot to death by a group of NPAs at Sitio Sambulangan, Barangay Baugan.

In retaliation, a cousin of Donato attacked and killed Alibando Tingkas, a member of the tribe where the killers of Donato belongs at 3 p.m. of the same day at Sitio Laslasakan in Barangay Baugan.

Donato, a father of six children, reportedly earlier declared pangayaw against the NPAs after learning that his daughter, 18-year-old Tessie, died at UCCP Haran compound but he never saw the remains.

In a blotter of the incident at the Office of the Ata-Manobo Council of Elders of Talaingod, Colorot Salangani, the wife of Donato, reported that their group was ambushed by NPAs using M4, AK-47 and M14 rifles at Sitio Sambulongan, Barangay Baugan.

She identified the NPAs who ambushed them and killed her husband as Luib Daus alyas Bagani, Dalahis Manlulugpis alyas Carlos and Tudtud Ladahay.

http://mindanaotimes.net/diffusing-tension/