Tragedy as 2 farmers die trying to settle land dispute through traditional underwater ritual

Two farmers have died after attempting to settle a land dispute through a traditional underwater endurance ritual in the Philippines.

The men, identified as Tonny Bulanon Mansag, 69, and Gaspar Tusan Palasanon, 49, reportedly took part in the ritual after efforts to resolve their disagreement through community-level mediation failed.

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 reportedly 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 a land ownership dispute entered Glamang River and submerged themselves at the same time, competing to see who could hold their breath underwater the longest.

The contest was intended to determine which side was at fault. According to reports, the first person to surface would lose, while the outcome was considered a draw if neither participant could outlast the other within the prescribed period. 

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 had reportedly remained underwater for much longer before anyone intervened.

He alleged that the participants were left submerged for about eight minutes before people attempted to rescue them. 

Other reports put the total time underwater at approximately 12 minutes. These timings have not been conclusively reconciled in the available reporting.

The two farmers, Tonny Bulanon Mansag, 69, and Gaspar Tusan Palasanon, 49, 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.

The contest was reportedly intended to settle a disagreement over ownership of a parcel of land. 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.