Two farmers have died after taking part in a traditional underwater endurance ritual reportedly used to settle a land ownership dispute in the southern Philippines.
The men, identified as 69 year old Tonny Bulanon Mansag and 49 year old Gaspar Tusan Palasanon, reportedly agreed to participate in the ritual after attempts to resolve the disagreement through community mediation failed.
The incident occurred on Friday, October 16, 2026, at Glamang River in Barangay Datal Anggas, Alabel, in Sarangani province, according to Philippine media reports.
The ritual, known as sulif, is reportedly practised in some Indigenous communities in the southern Philippines as a traditional trial by ordeal for disputes that cannot be resolved through mediation.
In the reported contest, representatives of the two families involved in the land dispute entered the river and submerged themselves underwater at the same time. The person who surfaced first was considered to have lost the contest, while the ritual was reportedly regarded as a draw if neither participant outlasted the other within the customary period.
The practice is based on the traditional belief that nature, including water, can reveal who is telling the truth or responsible for a dispute.
However, questions have emerged over how long the two men remained underwater before rescuers intervened. Jun Mansag, a nephew of one of the deceased, told local radio station Bombo Radyo that the customary limit was reportedly two minutes.
He questioned why the men were allegedly allowed to remain underwater for significantly longer. One account said they were submerged for about eight minutes, while another report placed the total time at around 12 minutes. The different accounts have not been independently reconciled.
Residents eventually pulled both men from the river unconscious and rushed them to hospital. Mansag was pronounced dead on arrival at Sarangani Provincial Hospital, while Palasanon later died while receiving medical treatment.
The incident has raised concerns about the dangers of using physical trials to resolve disputes, particularly when participants are exposed to potentially life threatening conditions.
Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the ritual, including what happened before the men entered the river and why the underwater contest was allowed to continue.
The case also highlights the tension that can arise when traditional dispute resolution practices intersect with modern legal and community mediation systems.
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