Two farmers died after participating in a traditional underwater endurance ritual called sulif, intended to settle a land dispute in the Philippines. The men, identified as Tonny Bulanon Mansag, 69, and Gaspar Tusan Palasanon, 49, took part in the ritual after community-level mediation failed to resolve their disagreement over land ownership.
Details of the Incident at Glamang River
According to Philippine news outlet GMA News, the incident occurred at Glamang River in Barangay Datal Anggas, Alabel, Sarangani province, on Friday, October 16, 2026. The ritual, known as sulif, is a traditional trial by ordeal practised in some Indigenous communities in the southern Philippines to resolve disputes that cannot be settled through mediation.
In this case, representatives of two families involved in the land ownership dispute entered the river and submerged themselves simultaneously. The contest was to see who could hold their breath underwater the longest, with the first person to surface losing the dispute. If neither participant outlasted the other within the prescribed period, the outcome was considered a draw.
Ritual Rules and Timing Questioned
The practice is rooted in a belief that nature, including water, can determine who is telling the truth or is responsible for a dispute. However, accounts of the ritual’s rules and customary time limit differ. A video of the incident, shared by GMA News on YouTube, showed residents gathered around the river as the men were pulled from the water.
Jun Mansag, a nephew of one of the deceased farmers, told Bombo Radyo that the customary limit was two minutes and questioned why the men reportedly remained underwater for much longer before anyone intervened. He alleged that the participants were left submerged for about eight minutes before rescue attempts began. Other reports put the total time underwater at approximately 12 minutes, though these timings have not been conclusively reconciled in the available reporting.
Deaths and Police Investigation
The two farmers were eventually pulled from the river unconscious and taken for medical treatment. Mansag was pronounced dead on arrival at Sarangani Provincial Hospital, while Palasanon later died in the hospital. Initial reports said the men had tried to resolve the matter through barangay-level mediation before agreeing to the underwater challenge.
Police are investigating the incident, including the circumstances surrounding the ritual and the events leading to the men’s deaths. The investigation aims to determine whether any negligence or foul play contributed to the tragedy.
