BONTOC, MOUNTAIN PROVINCE– To prevent any possible retaliation involving a student mauling incident that happened at Tadian in October 14, 2017, a settlement has been arrived at through the customary way of settling disputes between the Saclit tribe of Sadanga and Tadian.
During a tongtongan held at the Episcopal Diocese Hall, Chico Building on November 6, 2017, both parties agreed and persuaded the victim, Jomar Accap Tammocho, to continue his studies at the Mountain Province State Polytechnic College, Tadian Campus, and the Tadian residents especially the family of the suspects agreed to secure the safety of the victim including other students from Saclit while they are studying there.
The relatives of the assailants agreed to pay the total amount of P300,000.00 demanded by the Saclit tribe as a sign of goodwill. The amount will defray the expenses to be incurred during the series of rituals to be observed especially at the victim’s residence to remove the bad that brought misfortune to the victim.
Aside from the ritual expenses, the remaining amount will also be utilized by both parties in fostering their relationship as brethren similar to a Pechen or peace pact.
It was agreed that the Tadian party will get the amount of P100,000.00 but the Saclit elders opted to equally divided the amount and gave P150,000.00 as a sign of goodwill on November 9, 2017.
Apart from said amount, the hospitalization and other expenses incurred by the victim estimated to be P90,000.00 will be defrayed by the suspects.
In, case Tammocho, the victim, will experience any sickness or side effect in the future as a result of the mauling incident, the expenses to be incurred will be paid by the relatives of the assailants.
On the 25th of November 2017, the Saclit folks are being invited by the relatives of the suspects in Tadian for an initial ritual of the peace pact between the two parties.
The Tadian parties will be invited to a similar treat in Saclit on a schedule to be determined very soon for the final forging of the lasting peace and relationship between the two tribes.
It can be recalled that the mauling incident happened on the night of October 14, 2017, Tammocho, of Saclit, Sadanga, Mountain Province, was mauled by his assailants, Abel Pangcawey, Clayton Pangcawey, Tipen Lipas, and Marlon Perez, all residents of Tadian, Mountain Province during a drinking spree at the construction site owned by one of the suspects.
The victim, Jomar Tammocho narrated that after consuming bottles of Ginebra San Miguel, he went to charge his cellphone which he put in a side pocket of his jacket. Thereafter he was advised to take his dinner ahead.
While putting rice on his plate, Clayton Pangcawey allegedly placed his hands on his shoulder and slapped his face. Marlon Perez, on the other hand, allegedly hit his head with a hard object, and Tipen Lipas grabbed him and delivered fist blows resulting in the victim’s losing consciousness.
He further narrated in his affidavit that he pretended to be unconscious even when he had already regained consciousness and he heard Abel Pangcawey say, “uston, natey et sa” ( stop, he is already dead).
The victim, still pretending to be dead, said he felt he was being stripped naked after which he was put in a sack, head first, and with both hands tied at his back. He was then carried outside of the house and was loaded at the back of the a vehicle.
He successfully untied himself and jumped-off the vehicle. He landed on the pavement. Fearing that they will return to look for him, he hid below the road to avoid detection.
He also avoided a vehicle that passed by fearing that they were the suspects. Then he crawled out from his hiding place and walked to Luis Hora Memorial Regional Memorial Hospital in Abatan, Bauko. Along the way, he saw a tricycle parked beside the road and took clothes from inside it to cover his private part. He was admitted in the hospital.
It was highlighted during the amicable conference that the incident was not a result of misdemeanor on the part of the victim.
Tammocho, with parents, withdrew the charges at the Prosecutor’s Office as a result of the settlement on the same date.
The Tadian folks committed not to repeat the incident that tarnished the image of the people of Tadian and not only the culprits and to provide protection to the students from Sadanga studying at the MPSPC at its Tadian campus.
Both sides were thankful that the incident was settled amicably otherwise a tribal conflict could have resulted.
Accordingly, this will be the first time that a pechen will be forged by the Tadian people with another party inside the province.
The amicable settlement was initiated by the priests and ministers of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Luzon headed by the Reverend Bishop Brent Alawas through the Cordillera Peoples” Alliance, Board Member Tomas A. Tawagen, the Indigenous People Representative in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, and the Office of the Provincial Governor. **Alfred Macalling and Roger Sacyaten