170 THE MANOBOS OF MINDANAO— GARVAN IM ""°[yo? xxm. 



very necessary to be on such terms of friendship with the members of the warrior class that they 

 will not be inclined to undertake for payment the task of taking vengeance for another. 



Killing for public policy is a recognized institution, but such executions very seldom take 

 place. On the upper Tago River word was sent to me that my guide would be killed if he led 

 me into a certain remote region at the headwaters of that river. It was reported on all sides that 

 the principal chiefs of the region had assembled before my departure and had decided upon 

 his death. For some reason, probably fear, the sentence was not carried into effect. 



It was reported to me that in time of an epidemic it is permitted to kill anyone who dares 

 to break the quarantine. 



Involuntary killing when it is manifest that it was a pure accident can be compounded. 



THE PRIVATE SEIZURE 



By the tawdgan system a Manobo is permitted to kill or seize anything or anybody that he 

 may decide upon, provided that he has made every endeavor to settle the dispute by amicable 

 means. Having failed to adjust the matter without bloodshed, he may avenge himself, first and 

 above all, on the guilty party. I will not make a positive statement to the effect that he must 

 announce his intention to make use of the right accorded him by the tawdgan custom, but I am 

 of opinion that this must be done, for in every instance that came under my observation it had 

 been generally known beforehand that the aggrieved party would make a seizure within a speci- 

 fied time. I know that on one occasion I had to exact a promise from a man that he would not 

 lay hands on merchandise of mine that was deposited under a house in the vicinity of his settle- 

 ment. He had made public announcement that he would make a seizure, even though it should 

 be that of my merchandise. 



The aggrieved party in making use of his right must, if possible, inflict damage, even death, 

 upon the debtor or other wrongdoer or on some of his relatives, but should this prove impracti- 

 cable he is at liberty to select anyone. If he kills a neutral party, he must compound with the 

 relatives of the slain one for the death inflicted and enter with them into a solemn promise to 

 act jointly against the offending party. In the case of seizure, he can not dispose of the object 

 seized until the owner be consulted. It is customary for the two to enter a compact by which 

 they bind themselves to take joint action against the offender, advantageous terms being guaran- 

 teed to the new colleague. The man whose property is thus seized is very often one who has had 

 an old-time grudge against the original offender or debtor. 



PENALTIES FOR MINOR OFFENSES 



Minor offenses such as stealing, slandering, failure to pay debts, deception that causes mate- 

 rial damage to another, loss or damage to another's property, the lesser violations of sexual 

 propriety, disrespect to another's property, etc., are punishable by fines that must be deter- 

 mined by the assembled relatives of the two parties. I have never been able to find the least 

 trace of any definite system of fines. In the determination of them for the more serious of 

 offenses (adultery, wanton killing, etc.), the equivalent of a human life, 15 or 30 pesos, is the 

 basis of the calculation. In the case of minor offenses, however, lesser quantities are determined 

 upon after a lengthy discussion of the subject by the respective relatives of the parties involved. 



CUSTOMARY PROCEDURE 



PRELIMINARIES TO ARBITRATION 



The aggrieved party, upon hearing of the offense and after making many futile efforts to 

 come to an agreement, consults with his relatives, when, after being assured of their cooperation 

 he begins to issue threats, all of which reach the ear of his opponent. At first the latter probably 

 is not disturbed by these, but, as they begin to pour in from all sources, he makes up his mind 

 either to face his opponent in person, if the affair has not gone too far, or to look around for a 

 friendly chief or other person of influence and sagacity to mediate. All this time new rumors 





