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.jpg) Eye
For An Eye?
by Sonny Evangelista
IN THE LAND OF
TRIBAL WARS AND PEACE PACTS
Father Luis Katutubo (his name has been changed for security reasons),
together with the police, recently led a raid on a bar, which is a cover-up
for sex prostitution. The raid was successful with the arrest of the owner,
a member of the Tulgao tribe.
A few months ago, he also led a raid against a
notorious thief, a member of the Tinglayan tribe, to which Father Katutubo
also belongs.
Consequences
If these cases occurred in Manila or some other place in the country, the
case would be in the court's hands. However, in this province, where tribal
culture is still strong and domineering, these cases can lead to serious
consequence. Here, tribal war is very much alive, despite the attempts of
various people in eradicating it from the Kalinga culture, including the
Church. Vengeance is necessary to bring peace to a victim's family. This
culture is deep seated among the people that it is difficult to do away that
easily.
Revenge
Usually a war occurs between tribes, even between two neighboring villages.
The cry of revenge for a person's death or killing, willingly or not, is not
easily forgotten by a tribal community. The cry for 'justice', however, does
not end on the perpetrators, it also includes the members of the
perpetrator's community.
And there are no territorial boundaries. Revenge can be
handed down on an innocent student studying in Manila, because he is a
member of the offending tribe. Counter-revenge usually follows this.
Deep roots
This culture of violence can have its roots from the past generations,
orally handed-down from one generation to another. Its roots can also be of
a minor cause, like the killing of a chicken by a neighbor, which,
eventually, can be blown out of proportions. A "bodong' [peace pact]
between warring tribes was established to appease the victims and their
families. There are over 600 'bodongs' in Kalinga, each tribe has made its
own set of rules concerning a certain tribe. So much so that a tribal
community may have as much as 17 kinds of peace pacts, each pertaining only
to a certain tribe. Here, a set of rules is agreed
upon between two tribes.
No immunity
What could be the consequences of Father Katutubo's legal and legitimate
actions towards the two men? In the first case, the man, who, because of
political pressure, has been released by the police, may take revenge
against the priest, although both belong to the same tribe, despite the fact
that the community itself has testified against the man. On the sex den
case, the culture of revenge may arise because the man belongs to another
tribe and may be used as grounds of tribal oppression. A priest or a
religious man or woman is not free from immunity in being involved or be a
cause of a tribal war. Depending on the reaction of the men's communities
and their decisions, these can lead to a bloody, vicious, unending cycle.
Blind eye
This culture of violence most probably is incomprehensible to individuals of
the so-calledcivilized society. But it is alive and being practiced in
Kalinga and the local police has turned a blind eye on it.
Although there
have been several efforts, the Church is unable to prevent this, despite the
fact that 65% of Kalinga's population [271,000] are Catholics.<WM
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