BANGUED, Abra—Hundreds of local officials, aspirants for different elective positions, tribal leaders, civil society group representatives and religious and youth leaders signed a peace covenant here Saturday that would bind and oblige them to enhance and actively perform their sworn obligations under the agreement to sustain peace efforts province.
The signed peace covenant known as the ‘Pagta ti Kapya’ is different from previously signed peace covenants because it embraces indigenous people practices of Cordillerans that would curse those who violate the contents of the agreement plus the imposition of culturally accepted penalties to violators among others.
“Pagta or katulagan’ or covenant is an indigenous system binding or obliging parties to agreed conditions under a solemn oath called “bagwas.’’ It manifests wisdom, sacredness and common sense. It is synonymous to a blood compact where the parties are bound to honor it at all cost.
The signing of the ‘Pagta ti Kapya’ was spearheaded by the Abra Peace Conveners and the Abra Youth Organization in order to bring together all local and tribal leaders to commit themselves to the compact that would fulfill the dream of Abrenians for lasting peace using as guiding principles the protection of life, honor and property.
Under the agreement, the identified punishable acts of local and tribal leaders would be the proliferation of illegal drugs, political and personal killings, proliferation of loose firearms, maintenance and sustained existence of private armed groups, and the reign of bad governance in their respective areas of jurisdiction.
The signing took place a day after the secretary of La Paz Mayor Joseph Bernos was shot to death by still-unidentified assailants while he was on his way home.
