Kalinga tribal council believe rape should not be amicably settled

BAGUIO CITY (January 20, 2025) -- A tribal council helping settle local disputes between different tribes in Tabuk City, Kalinga believes heinous crimes, especially rape, should not be settled amicably and instead the culprit be meted appropriate punishment under Philippine laws.

The Matagoan Bodong Consultative Council (MBCC) appealed to the Tabuk City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) to consider excluding rape from the list of cases endorsed for amicable settlement.

Though earlier, CSWDO Officer III Vilma Palma said that the primary objective of the agency is to protect the rights and welfare of the victim as she stressed that if rape cases are amicably settled, there is a big chance the perpetrator will rape again.

"Bodong" is an agreement or agreements between tribes in Kalinga and other provinces of the Cordillera Region to nail down disputes and avert the escalation of bloody tribal wars.

MBCC Chairman Andres Ngao-i said they are only intervening in cases in accordance to the preference of the victims and their families in resolving issues between them.

The Tabuk City Legal Office also believes serious crimes like rape should not be settled amicably as such crimes involve public interest and it is the duty of the state to prosecute the perpetrators.

Though the MBCC claimed that there are no cases of rape referred to them for settlement in the last quarter of 2024. 

According to the CSWDO, there are 21 rape cases logged last year.

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) of Tabuk City meanwhile said there are 32 individuals charged with rape and are detained at the Tabuk City Jail.