THE RECENT murder of a tribal head and his son in Talaingod, Davao del Norte could start a clan war as village leaders might declare “pangayaw,” or vendetta, against other tribal members suspected of supporting the New People’s Army (NPA), the group tagged as responsible for the crime. “We have been affected by the crime,” Datu Lumansad Sibugan, a leader of the community, said last week. Mr. Sibugan said village elders have identified 30 individuals so far as among those supporting the NPA, the armed group of the communist movement in the Philippines. NPA members are suspected to have killed Datu Banadjao Mampaundag and his son inside their house on Feb. 4. “The situation has gone out of hand,” Mr. Sibugan said, citing that the rebels have killed 14 of their tribal leaders as well as grabbing their lands. Declaring pangayaw, he added, is necessary to sway tribe members to stop supporting the NPA. Emmanuel Caccal, head of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (IP)-Davao del Norte provincial office, said they cannot intervene in the community’s decision. He said, “It’s really beyond our control, if the tribal elders have already decided.” — Carmelito Q. Francisco

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