Kabenguetan News Network, Baguio City (2026)

06/09/2026

₱800K SETTLEMENT REACHED BUT PINGET BULLYING CASE ISN’T OVER

BAGUIO CITY —An ₱800,000 settlement has been reached in the controversial Pinget National High School bullying case, but officials say the agreement does not simply wipe the slate clean.

The settlement, finalized Sept. 4 before Barangay Pinget officials, was reached between the family of the injured learner and the families of the minors involved in the Aug. 26 assault.

The other families will collectively pay ₱800,000, based on their children’s participation in the incident. The minors must also publicly apologize to the victim’s family, barangay officials and police.

The decision came after the victim’s family consulted the child, who reportedly chose forgiveness and did not want to pursue a case against the other minors, saying they should be allowed to continue their studies.

But the trauma remains.

The victim’s mother said her child continues to experience panic attacks whenever arguments or fights occur.

Meanwhile, the school’s disciplinary action and child-protection interventions remain in place. Fifteen learners were earlier slapped with five-day suspensions, while social workers and guidance personnel continue working with the children involved.

The viral video that exposed the Aug. 26 violence had triggered widespread outrage, but authorities have repeatedly appealed to the public to stop sharing it to protect the minors from further trauma, harassment and online shaming.

The ₱800,000 may settle what the families have chosen to settle. But it cannot erase what happened, or the responsibility to make sure it never happens again.

06/09/2026

CORDILLERA DANCES INTO THE SPOTLIGHT

BENGUET —The Cordillera is proving that the dance floor is no longer just a place for entertainment. It is becoming a serious arena for athletic excellence.

The 6th Cordillera Dance Festival Open Dancesport Competition and PDSFI Ranking Points enters its final day today at the Benguet Sports Complex Gymnasium, following a high-energy opening day that drew DanceSport athletes, families and spectators into the competition.

Dancers are battling it out across several categories, with the Junior A Latin and Junior A Standard among the featured events, putting young athletes in the spotlight as they showcase discipline, stamina, precision and artistry.

But beyond the medals and ranking points, the growing turnout and interest are sending a louder message: DanceSport is gaining ground in the Cordillera.

More young people are getting into the sport, while parents and communities are becoming increasingly aware that competitive dancing demands the same commitment, training and physical conditioning expected in other sports.

That growing interest, however, also exposes a challenge- the need for greater and sustained support.

DanceSport athletes face expenses for coaching, training, costumes, competition fees, transportation and other requirements. Without adequate facilities and institutional support, many promising dancers may find it difficult to advance despite their potential.

Organizers and advocates are therefore hoping that the increasing popularity of DanceSport will translate into stronger backing from communities, schools, the private sector and local governments.

The Cordillera has never been short of athletic talent. DanceSport may now be giving another generation of young Cordillerans a stage to prove it.

06/09/2026

LOCAL ARTIST HITS BACK AT ‘USER’ CLAIMS AS HE RAISED AROUND ₱100,000 FOR BULLIED BOY

BAGUIO CITY — More than ₱100,000 has been raised to help shoulder the medical needs and other expenses of Sean, a young bullying victim who lost an eye, with local singer Roque Be**no thanking donors and supporters who rallied behind the child and his family.

Be**no said the amount was made possible through donations, online shares and the support of individuals who responded to the call for assistance.

But behind the successful fundraising effort, Be**no lamented that certain social media users turned what he described as a noble cause into a weapon against him, accusing him of helping Sean merely for publicity or to ride on a viral issue.

The local artist appeared disappointed by the accusations, saying the criticism unfairly overshadowed the purpose of the campaign which is to help a child and his family cope with the consequences of a traumatic incident.

Despite the backlash, Be**no said the effort was worth every hour of work and sleepless night spent raising funds for Sean.

A full transparency report is expected to be released, detailing the donations collected and how the funds will be accounted for.

The donation drive will also remain open for those who still want to contribute. Be**no and fellow organizers are scheduled to meet Sean and his parents on a scheduled date.

Be**no again expressed gratitude to the donors, online sharers and supporters who helped amplify the campaign.

For him, whatever the noise on social media, the more important story remains the same: people came together to help a child in need.

04/09/2026

COMMENTARY | THE LAW THAT TURNED BAGUIO AGAINST ITS OWN INDIGENOUS ROOTS

Congressman Mauricio Domogan may be right about one thing. That Section 78 of the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA) currently gives Baguio a special exemption.

But that is exactly the problem.

If a law creates an unfair situation, the answer is not to immortalize the law. The answer is to change it.

Section 78 was enacted in 1997. Congress wrote it. Congress can amend it. So saying, “The Supreme Court already ruled on it,” does not end the discussion. The Supreme Court interprets the law. Congress has the power to change the law.

Ironically, Baguio is where the historic Cariño case established the doctrine of native title, the principle that indigenous ownership can exist because land has been possessed by a family or community from time immemorial, even without a government-issued title.

Yet today, the descendants of those indigenous people face a special legal barrier when asserting ancestral land rights in Baguio. How ironic can it get?

More importantly, the Supreme Court itself has already made an important distinction. That Baguio's exemption from IPRA does not erase legitimate native title.

So the argument that removing or amending Section 78 would mean simply giving Baguio's land away is lame scaremongering. That is not what IPRA says and its intentions are nowhere near such assumption.

An ancestral claim still has to be proven. Evidence still needs to be presented. Existing legitimate titles still enjoy regularity. Public lands, forests, watersheds and other protected areas remain protected.

In simple terms, recognizing ancestral rights does not mean recognizing every ancestral claim. We can reject fraudulent claims without shutting the door on legitimate ones.

And Congress has already shown that Baguio's legal framework can be changed. The Revised Baguio Charter itself now recognizes the applicability of IPRA to ancestral-land concerns.
So why cling to Section 78 as if it were carved in stone? Well, It isn't. It is a provision written by legislators decades ago.

Baguio has changed and the law can change with it. The choice is not between Baguio and the Ibaloi. The real choice is between preserving an old legal anomaly or fixing it.

I have long believed that Section 78 should be repealed or substantially amended, and the Baguio Charter amended accordingly. Not to give away Baguio. And certainly, not to invalidate legitimate titles creating a free-for-all, but to finally establish a fair, evidence-based system that respects both Baguio's legitimate property owners and the indigenous people whose history predates the city itself.

Ultimately, this is the question we should be asking:

If Cariño gave the world the doctrine of native title, why should Baguio be the place where that principle is hardest to exercise?

A law may be valid today. That does not mean it must remain unchanged forever.

Section 78 is not sacred. It is a law. And laws can, and sometimes must, be changed.

GP Abela (02-04-26)

02/09/2026

YAP LAUDS DA SECRETARY LAUREL FOR TAKING UP BENGUET FARMERS’ FIGHT

BENGUET — For years, Benguet farmers have watched tons of their vegetables rot, go to waste or sell for painfully low prices when the market is flooded.

Now, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. is being credited for taking a harder look at the problem and Benguet Rep. Eric Go Yap is saying: " finally, someone is fighting for the farmers ".

Yap thanked Laurel after the Department of Agriculture (DA) stood firm behind proposed funding for major agricultural infrastructure projects in Benguet, including farm-to-market roads, cold storage facilities and processing infrastructure.

“Finally, we have an Agriculture Secretary that truly cares for Benguet farmers,” Yap said, expressing confidence that the province could become a government priority in addressing its long-standing agricultural bottlenecks.

The lawmaker particularly praised Laurel’s position during the national budget deliberations, where the DA pushed for the inclusion of funding for additional farm-to-market roads in the proposed 2027 General Appropriations Act.

“Saludo kami sa’yo, Secretary Laurel, sa pagtindig at pagbibigay-importansya para sa mga farmers namin sa Benguet,” Yap said.

Though roads, he stressed, are only part of the problem.

Benguet’s highland vegetable industry has long struggled with inadequate post-harvest facilities, leaving farmers vulnerable whenever production outpaces market demand. The result can be brutal: oversupply, collapsing prices and vegetables dumped or left to spoil.

Yap said Laurel’s commitment to establish a mega cold storage facility and processing plant could finally attack the problem at its roots.

“Matagal nang problema yung mga tinatapon na mga gulay, o yung pagbagsak ng presyo nito sa market,” Yap said.

“But our Secretary said enough is enough.”

For Yap, the proposed facilities represent more than infrastructure. They could provide farmers with a way to preserve produce, manage oversupply and create additional avenues for processing and marketing their harvest.

Still, the lawmaker acknowledged that the fight is not yet over.

The proposed projects must still hurdle congressional deliberations and ultimately find their way into the final 2027 national budget before implementation can proceed.

“More work to be done hangga’t hindi pa naisasama sa magiging GAA for 2027,” Yap said.

But he remains optimistic, pointing to Laurel’s support and what he described as strong legislative backing for Benguet’s agricultural agenda.

“I am confident that no less than Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. championing this, and our supportive leadership in Congress, we will see this plan come into fruition,” Yap said.

Then came his bottom-line message to the agriculture chief:

“Sec, muli po, maraming salamat sa pagtindig para sa aming mga magsasaka sa Benguet.”

For Benguet farmers, the real measure of these promises will not be found in budget speeches or congressional hearings but in whether fewer vegetables end up rotting by the roadside and more of their hard-earned harvest ends up earning them a decent living.

30/08/2026

BAGUIO CITY — The five-day suspension imposed on students involved in the Pinget National High School alleged bullying incident is not the end of the case and does not rule out criminal or civil action, authorities clarified Saturday.

The suspension was a school disciplinary measure under Department of Education rules, separate from possible legal proceedings involving the 15 minors accused of assaulting and humiliating a fellow student.

Police said the victim was allegedly punched and struck with a belt, forced to the ground and made to pose for humiliating photographs under threat of further harm.

Baguio City Police Office Director P/Col. Ruel Tagel said police are awaiting a discernment assessment by the City Social Welfare and Development Office to determine whether the minors understood the nature and consequences of their alleged acts and could distinguish right from wrong when the incident occurred.

The assessment will determine how the case may proceed under the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act.

Possible charges being considered include physical injuries and, depending on the circumstances established, grave coercion or threats, Tagel said.

The police may pursue a complaint if the victim’s family decides to file one. Even without a complaint from the family, Tagel said, the BCPO may file a case as nominal complainant.

Meanwhile, the CSWDO is conducting individual assessments and preparing intervention programs for the minors, while authorities have also agreed on protective measures for the victim and continuing monitoring of all those involved.

The five-day suspension, imposed through the school’s Child Protection Committee, therefore settles only the school’s disciplinary action and not the legal questions arising from the incident.

The criminal aspect remains subject to further assessment, evidence and due process.

27/08/2026

BAGUIO CITY — Two separate incidents involving minors from different secondary schools are now being handled by the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO), in coordination with school officials and social workers, as Mayor Benjamin Magalong reiterated the city’s zero-tolerance policy against violence, bullying, harassment and abuse.

But this time, the city’s message is not merely about stopping student violence but also about stopping the digital aftershock.

Magalong has appealed to the public to stop sharing, reposting or circulating a video reportedly showing one of the incidents, warning that continued dissemination could subject the minors involved to public shaming, insults, threats, harassment and other forms of online abuse.

“While we do not condone these acts among the youth, we should also respect the dignity, privacy and well-being of the children involved,” the mayor said.

His appeal comes as the incidents have generated attention online, where outrage can spread almost as quickly as the material being condemned.

The mayor’s pointed out that the public does not have to become another participant in the punishment. “Let us not amplify violence. Let us protect our children and help build a safer, kinder and more respectful Baguio,” Magalong said.

TWO INCIDENTS, TWO SCHOOLS

The BCPO, headed by P/Col. Ruel Tagel, stressed that the two cases are separate and are being handled independently. Details are being withheld because minors are involved.

The first incident reportedly occurred at around 3 p.m. on August 26 outside the premises of a high school.

Complaints were filed before Police Station 2, with the students involved, identified as Grade 9 and Grade 10 students, already identified by authorities.

Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) personnel coordinated with school authorities, while social workers were tapped to assist in the appropriate interventions.

Another coordination meeting was scheduled on August 28 to discuss the case and determine the interventions to be undertaken.

The second incident involved students from another secondary school and was reported to Police Station 5 at around 1 p.m. on August 27.

Police said the incident allegedly took place during recess on August 24 inside a classroom and involved a Grade 7 and Grade 9 student, with the complainant sustaining an injury.

There has been no reported video circulating online in connection with the second case.

WCPD personnel coordinated with the school principal and class advisers, followed by a dialogue involving the students and their parents or guardians. Administrative sanctions are expected to be imposed.

NOT A LICENSE TO SHAME

The incidents underscore a difficult reality confronting schools, parents and authorities: young people can be both perpetrators and victims of violence and neither should be subjected to a second round of harm online.

Authorities are expected to determine the facts, identify the appropriate interventions and impose sanctions where warranted. But Magalong's warning carries another message for the public:

Condemning violence does not require sharing it. And protecting children does not mean protecting wrongdoing. It means allowing due process, intervention and accountability to take place without exposing minors to an uncontrolled digital mob.

For now, police, school officials and social workers are dealing with the two cases separately.

The city, meanwhile, is asking the public to do something that is increasingly difficult in the age of instant sharing:

Put down the phone. Let the authorities do their job. And remember that behind every viral video involving a child is a child who still has to live with what happens after the cameras stop rolling.

23/08/2026

P77K RAISED IN LESS THAN 5 HOURS AS BAGUIO-BENGUET MUSICIANS STRIKE AGAIN FOR ATOK LANDSLIDE FAMILIES

BAGUIO CITY — They did it once for the victims of the Guisad Surong and Shilan landslides. And, with hardly any time to prepare, the Baguio-Benguet music community has done it again.

This time, their music reached out to the families of the three people who lost their lives in a landslide in Atok, Benguet.

With only an abrupt plan, limited resources and less than five hours of online performances, the musicians managed to raise around P77,000 for the bereaved families.

There was no elaborate production. No lengthy preparation. No professional fees. Just musicians who were willing to lend their talent and a community willing to listen, share and give.

The performers rendered their services free of charge, with organizers emphasizing that no expenses will be deducted from the amount collected. Every peso raised is intended for the families who are now facing the painful aftermath of the tragedy.

The latest fundraising effort comes shortly after the musicians successfully mounted a similar donation drive for the families affected by the landslides in Guisad Surong, Baguio City, and Shilan, La Trinidad, where their two-part concert and donation campaign generated around P170,000.

What began as an abruptly planned initiative has once again demonstrated how quickly a community can respond when compassion takes the lead.

For those who tuned in, the message was equally simple: when tragedy strikes, people can choose to do something. In less than five hours, music once again became a vehicle for generosity.

The P77,000 may not erase the pain of losing a loved one. But for the three families in Atok, it is a tangible reminder that amid grief, they are not facing the difficult days ahead alone.

Donations are still welcome until a schedule is set for turnover to the families according to the organizers.

GP Abela (08-23-26)

19/08/2026

BAGUIO CITY — The issuance of interim small-scale mining contracts does not give pocket miners a free pass to immediately begin operations, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP)-Cordillera stressed, warning that any mining activity undertaken without the required Indigenous Peoples’ consent may be treated as illegal encroachment.

NCIP-Cordillera Regional Director Lawyer Atanacio Addog recently issued an administrative directive reiterating that holders of interim small-scale mining contracts must first secure a Certification Precondition (CP) before conducting actual operations within ancestral domains.

“No small-scale mining activities may legally start without securing the Certification Precondition (CP),” the joint circular states, emphasizing that the CP can only be issued after completion of the Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) process.

The directive comes after the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) issued interim small-scale mining contracts to 10 pocket miners’ associations in the Cordillera, raising the need to clearly distinguish between being granted an interim contract and being legally authorized to operate on the ground.

Citing Republic Act No. 8371, or the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA), and the 2012 Revised FPIC Guidelines, Addog stressed that the issuance of an interim contract does not override the rights of Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples over their ancestral domains.

Until the CP is issued, actual mining operations, road opening, test-pitting, site clearing and similar activities may not be undertaken, according to the directive.

The NCIP warned that those who proceed despite the prohibition could face immediate legal and administrative consequences.

“Any unauthorized operations commenced in defiance of this directive shall be treated as an illegal encroachment and a direct violation of IPRA law,” Addog said.

Such violations, he added, may trigger the issuance of a Cease and Desist Order, as well as a formal recommendation to the MGB for the permanent revocation of the interim small-scale mining contract.

The directive effectively puts a legal brake on any attempt to interpret the interim contracts as an automatic green light for mining operations.

While the NCIP recognizes the operational milestones involved in the processing of small-scale mining contracts, Addog made clear that these cannot be used to bypass the FPIC process, a legally protected mechanism intended to ensure that Indigenous Peoples are properly informed and given the opportunity to freely decide on activities affecting their ancestral lands.

For the 10 pocket miners’ associations holding interim contracts, the message is therefore straightforward: a contract may be in hand, but it is not yet a license to dig.

Before the first road is opened, the first test pit is made or the first extraction activity begins, the required FPIC process must first be completed and the corresponding Certification Precondition secured.

The NCIP’s warning also underscores a broader issue confronting small-scale mining in the Cordillera: the need to balance the livelihood interests of small-scale miners with the equally protected rights of Indigenous Peoples over their ancestral territories.

18/08/2026

P175,000 RAISED AS BAGUIO-BENGUET MUSICIANS TURN MUSIC INTO A LIFELINE FOR LANDSLIDE VICTIMS

BAGUIO CITY — What began as an abruptly planned initiative with little more than goodwill, talent and a desire to help has raised an impressive P175,000 for families devastated by recent landslides in Baguio City and La Trinidad, Benguet.

Baguio-Benguet musicians recently came together for a two-part donation drive and online concert held at Heartland Bar and Resto, with the program broadcast live through the Isko and Friends page.

Despite the limited preparation and meager resources behind the undertaking, the organizers managed to rally fellow musicians, supporters and donors, turning an evening of music into a meaningful act of solidarity for families left grieving and struggling in the aftermath of the disasters.

The proceeds will be distributed to families of landslide casualties in Guisad Surong, Baguio City, and Shilan, La Trinidad, two communities among those severely affected by the recent rains and landslides.

The initiative was organized by musicians Aladin, Isko, Rhea and Selena, who helped bring together performers and supporters for the cause.

What made the effort particularly remarkable was not the scale of the production, but the spirit behind it.

There were no elaborate preparations, major sponsors or massive resources to begin with. There was simply a shared conviction among the organizers and participating musicians that they could do something, however small, to ease the burden of families who had lost loved ones.

And they did.

The P175,000 raised stands as a testament to what can happen when a community's talents are placed at the service of those in need.

For the musicians, the event was more than a concert. It was their own way of answering the tragedy, not with grand speeches, but with music, generosity and collective action.

In the face of loss, they proved that even a hastily organized gathering, when fueled by genuine compassion, can create something far greater than anyone initially expected.

Sometimes, all it takes is a song, a willing heart and people who simply decide to help.

GP Abela 08-18-26

Kabenguetan News Network

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