Tribe surrenders 3 fugitives to comply with 'Oplan Tugis Drive'

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet - The fierce “Naneng” sub-tribe in Tabuk City, Kalinga turned in three of their own as a confidence-building measure that they do not harbor criminals and show a good example to all Kalinga tribal folk.

Village officials, elders and tribal leaders led by barangay chairman Andro Cos-agon and Kagawad Macario Aguinaldo accompanied Andro Bilwayan, 46; Edgar Buslig, 42; and Mencio Alunday, 50, all natives and  residents of Naneng, Tabuk City to surrender to Regional Trial Court brancy 25 in Tabuk City Judge Marcelino Wacas on Friday afternoon.

The trio were among the 15 accused in the killing of Jimmy Castro on January 13, 2003 and Lorenzo Balais on January 19, 2003 in Asibanglan, Pinukpuk town also in Kalinga.

The killings prompted a tribal war between Naneng sub-tribe of Tabuk and Asibanglan, Pinukpuk, Kalinga. The killing of Castro and Balais were brought about by the sub-tribe’s tribal decision because the twor were responsible for various robberies along a highway within the territory of the “Nanengs”.

Alunday was also charged in the double murder of Jose Binay-og and Noel Binay-og, both natives of Sadanga, Mt. Province, whow ere  killed in Matucnang, Ipil, Tabuk City on March 19, 2005 due to tribal dispute prompted by a land conflict.

The surrender of the three accused, Naneng tribal elders claimed, will finally bring closer ties between Naneng and Limos tribe of Pinukpuk and Sadanga of Mt. Province after all the murder cases were amicably settled, with the  Naneng Sub-tribe oredered to pay the amount of P300,000 for the indemnity of Balais and Castro of Limus sub-tribe and another P300,000 for the indemnity of the Binay-ogs of the Sadanga tribe in Mt. Province, excluding other expenses during the peace pact or bodong rituals and celebrations. - Artemio A. Dumlao