Cops seek end to tribal conflict in Agusan Sur

BUTUAN CITY — Police are seeking a peaceful settlement to the tribal conflict in a remote village in San Luis, Agusan del Sur that triggered the hostage-taking of 24 tribal folk last Dec. 11.

Of those taken hostage, 18 remain in captivity in the hands of the group of Datu Mansagabaw, chieftain of the Talaindig tribe in Sitio Akbayan. But San Luis Mayor Jose Chua got assurances from emissaries that all 18 tribesmen are safe.

Caraga police director Alberto Rama has called on Datu Mansagabaw to release the remaining hostages. Chua himself will go to Barangay Binicalan for dialogues with Talaindig leaders to settle the conflict there which reportedly stemmed from a series of killings last September.

"The cycle of revenge can never do good for both warring tribal groups, but only continuing bloodshed brought about by the hatred in their hearts," Chua said.

Earlier, the New People’s Army unit operating in San Luis, headed by one Kumander Alab, denied pulling off the hostage-taking, saying the Talaindig tribesmen should settle the conflict among themselves.

Military authorities, however, suspect that the NPA had a hand in the Dec. 11 incident.

Chua cited reports that Datu Mansagabaw’s group merely lectured their hostages on old lumad traditions, believing that their ignorance of their origins and the tribal culture has made vulnerable to the greedy ways of lowlanders.

Chua said the conflict arose with the killing of an alleged abusive Talaindig militiaman, a certain Balantinaw, in a firefight with Datu Mansagabaw’s group last Oct. 13.