AUTHORITIES have assured the public that the tribal war, or Pangayaw, in Kitaotao, Bukidnon would not escalate into a full-blown conflict.
A 61-year-old man, identified as Rodulfo Handuman, was killed when the conflict erupted on October 1.
Based on the report of Kitaotao Municipal Police Station, Handuman was stabbed by some eight members of Matigsalog tribe who were avenging the death of their relative.
The Matigsalog men were allegedly looking for the man suspected of killing their relative when they spotted Handuman, who was a resident of Purok 8, Barangay Tawas, Kitaotao, Bukidnon.
Easter*n Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Ezra Balagtey said Thursday, October 4, that they will closely monitor the situation in the area together with their counterparts to prevent the same incident.
"In coordination with other law enforcement agencies, we will not allow the conflict to escalate that will victimize other communities and areas, our job is to protect everyone," Balagtey said.
The incident on October 1 prompted hundreds of residents to flee their homes and seek safety in an evacuation center.
Based on the official statement of Arakan Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management on October 2, Arakan Mayor Rene V. Rubino visited the evacuation center and assessed the situation of the hundreds of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who were staying in Barangay Sumalili due to the Pangayaw.
"After the assessment, provision of relief goods followed. He ensured that a conflict was settled and IDPs were able to return to their respective homes before leaving the area," the statement said.
Meanwhile, Balagtey urged the tribes concerned to resolve the conflict through their respective IPS with the intervention of the National Commission of Indigenous People (NCIP).
