Interior Secretary Eduardo Año urged feuding neighbors to avail of the services of barangay mediators or the “lupong tagapamayapa” (peacekeeping council) first before bringing their misunderstanding to court to save time and money.
Each barangay has a peacekeeping council, composed of 10 to 20 members and chaired by the village chief, that regularly meets to discuss issues on the amicable settlement of disputes in the barangay.
Among cases that fall under the authority of the lupong tagapamayapa are: alarm and scandal; less serious physical injuries; slight physical injuries and maltreatment; unlawful arrest; light and grave coercion; simple seduction; issuing checks without sufficient funds; removal, sale or pledge of mortgaged property and trespassing. —Jeannette I. Andrade