PIA Kalinga – The Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) chaired by Gov. James S. Edduba convened for an emergency meeting on Monday, Oct. 7, to discuss the recent shooting incidents involving the Basao and Biga tribes and come up with measures to prevent escalation of violence.
The council agreed to work on brokering a ‘sipat’ (truce) between the said tribes to facilitate the start of negotiations to resolve the cause of the conflict. Gov. Edduba has also directed the Kalinga Bodong Council of Elders to coordinate with the Matagoan Bodong Consultative Council of Tabuk City to engage with the elders of both tribes to uphold schools, hospitals, and government institutions as zones of peace to protect students and workers.
The Basao and Biga tribes are involved in a tribal conflict following a series of shooting incidents that resulted in the deaths of members from both tribes. The situation has affected students and workers in the province, especially in Tabuk City, with the Tabuk City Schools Division reporting that school heads have been advised to implement self-learning modules and worksheets for 449 affected students in public and private schools.
During the meeting, PNP-Kalinga chief PCOL Gilbert Fati-ig reported that they have set up checkpoints and are conducting patrols at the barangays where the Biga and Basao tribes reside to prevent untoward incidents. Fati-ig said they have requested the Regional Mobile Force Batallion for augmentation and will request personnel from the 103rd Infantry Brigade to beef up security.