All eyes were on him. All minds seemed to declare one judgment towards the accused – guilty or innocent. 

“Here I stand under the sun that watches every living creature on Earth. From this ground alone, I take an oath proving I am blameless. Spare me from your anger if I did no wrong. But if there is guilt in my hands and not a word from my mouth can be trusted, cut my hands nor take back my breath,” the man swore as sweat flowed from his head.

As a customary law, i-Sadanga (people of Sadanga) highly regard a god-ordained law locally called sapata as a just and sound judgment to anyone who committed a wrong doing. Conforming to traditional beliefs, Apo Fatuli, an elder of Belwang, Sadanga said sapata is done by taking an oath which is believed to cause suffering to the guilty and forgiveness to the innocent. 

“Na sapata ket esay ugali tako din kaysan ing-gana asa. Hiya ha et linteg ay insuron Kabunian ay nairamut ha puson na ili tako tapnu mamimintenar na inkikinnaawatan, tarna ya rayad ha tunggar esha (Sapata is a living cultural law created by Kabunian and is deeply rooted into the heart of the village upholding peace, order and love to one another),” asserted Apo Fatuli. 

Further, Apo Fatuli pointed out that sapata is strictly observed because elders believe that not a hand shall taint the identity of the tribe and the tradition. 

Accordingly, when the accused deny a wrongdoing, he is believed to be punished by Kabunian according to what he uttered during the oath. 

When the crime committed is theft, the person who took the oath will ask Kabunian to take away the sinner’s hand. 

Solving Disputes through Sapata 

To solve a dispute, amam-a (council of elders) will gather in the agogowan (a place where male elders convene to discuss on community affairs) or at the house of the victim, with the complainant and the respondent including eye witnesses if there are any. The ceremony starts with the amam-a raising prayer to Kabunian and asking to grant justice as well. Then one of the elders will cut a chicken’s head which is complemented with vayas (sugarcane wine) as an offering to Kabunian. Meanwhile, the accused will stand up, hold the slain chicken facing the sun then raise his right hand and take an oath justifying his statement. 

However, if the culprit is undetermined, the sapata will still be performed for as long as there are suspects. 

According to Zoren Kerdaten, a native of Belwang who witnessed the ceremony several times, said that it maybe the innocent who performs the ritual yet the guilty is still the one who will suffer the consequences of the sapata. 

Paying the Murta

In some cases when the sinner confesses, the sapata will not take place. According to Kerdaten, the issue will be turned over to the amam-a for a traditional penalty locally called murta. 

The murta depends upon the decision of the complainant and the elders after considering factors such as damages, losses, undesirable changes, and among others.

In some instances, properties like rice field, umma (cultivated land), or any valuable belonging is asked by the harmed party especially when it is a physical assault. This is called rakaw, a weighty traditional way of compensating the harmed party.

In addition, the guilty accused shall feed the community by providing rice, vayas (sugar cane), and a pig to be feasted in the agogowan. 

“Nu dinangaram na ivam, Kaman metlang nakavasor ka ha ili. Na panangpakan ket mangipa-ila ay indawatan ha urnos. Ya asha pay agesh et tapno mangipapigsa ha un-ubfo tako ay sinpangili (When you hurt one of your tribesmen, it also reflects that you hurt the whole village as well. Feeding the community asserts reconciliation. This also implies bringing back the strength of brotherhood beyond asking forgiveness),” stated Apo Fatuli. 

Further, Kerdaten added that elders highly regard sapata and murta to protect the tribes’ identity against undesirable tags from the other places. 

“Thus, those who got punished years passed through sapata are the reflection of the past, a ceaseless reminder to keep our hands away from any act of deceitfulness,” Kerdaten pointed out. 

While they are governed by national laws that protects human right and promotes human welfare, the iSadanga still adhere to customary laws that basically guide their way of living. Indeed, the sapata helps preserve the culture of their ancestors up to the present generation. More than an oath, the sapata is observed not because it is a customary law but because of the value that is entangled herewith- pursuit of a disciplined, peaceful, and unified iSadanga community.