PHOTO: Juramentado warrior or Moro Swordsman fighting Spanish invader in Mindanao or Sulu Islands Southern Philippines. (Vintage or Old Illustration or Engraving, 1889)
***
Muslims here in the Philippines were once a powerful force in the country. They have a 500-year political history, making them the group with the most political experience mixing its culture and historical legacy against Spaniards and other foreign invaders in Mindanao.
Speaking of historical legacy in our history books, it serves as a documented reminder to our countrymen that our Muslim brothers in Mindanao played a major role in suppressing the foreign invaders as well as in building of the Filipino nation.
As early as 1576, after Lapu-lapu's successful repelling Magellan fleet, it began the revolutionary struggle for freedom which was fiercest and more successful in Muslim Mindanao than in Luzon's revolts because intrepid Muslim leaders never stopped fighting to preserve their culture against foreign domination and corruption.
Dr. Tan, a native of Siasi, Sulu, and a respected historian, stresses that the story of the Filipino nation will bit be complete if the sustained Muslim resistance against colonial rule is not mentioned in our history books.
The royal houses of Mindanao, under the able leadership of sultans, rajahs or datus were responsible for successful Muslim attacks on Spanish camps and ports in Visayas and entire Mindanao. As a result, Mindanao was never completed conquered by any foreign invader like Spaniards that succeeded in occupying Luzon and Visayas. In fact, Muslim resistance against Spain, described by foreigners as "Moro Wars," intensified in the first half of the 1700s until the last half of 1800s.
Here are some of our Muslim heroes who never gave up the fight for freedom and self-rule:
• Sultan Pangiran Buddiman (Muhamad Ul-Halim, who defended Jolo against the Spaniards in 1576 although he lost the battle and had to pay pearls as tribute for sometime, he continued to fight Spanish rule in Jolo.
• Datu Ache, who led the Muslim attacks on the Spanish shipyards in Camarines and Bagutao.
• Sultan Jamulu'l Alam, who defended Jolo against the Spanish invasion of 1876. He transferred his capital to Maimbung and continued attacks with his juramentados (Muslims who take the oath to kill all non-Muslims) forcing the Spaniards to leave.
• Datu Dimasangkay, ruler of Maguindanao in 1579, successfully repelled Spanish invaders.
• Sirongan, Rajah Buayan, who led the Buayanes against the Spaniards in the battle of Buayan in Cotabato in 1596. Together with his brother, Datu Ubal, pushed back the enemy to the coast of Rio Grande, thus thwarting the first Spanish attempt to colonize Buayan. He personally killed Esteban Rodriguez de Figueroa, leader of the first Spanish expedition to Cotabato. In 1599, he joined forces with Datu Sali of Maguindanao to attack Spanish strongholds in Visayas.
• Panginan Sarakula, son of Rajah Bungsu, who conducted early Muslim raids in 1599 against colonial forces to prevent colonization of Mindanao. By raiding Spanish forces in Luzon and Visayas from 1645 to 1648, he was able to delay Spanish occupation of Mindanao by 50 years.
(To be continued for Part 2)
YOU ARE READING
Bayaning Unspeakable!
RandomAre you aware of the common masses mostly the living part in our pages of the Philippine history? Are they contributed less or solemnly sacrificed? Did you recall their battle cries rather than the valiant actions of the great warriors of this count...
