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Ilaga

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Not to be confused withIlaga, Indonesia.
Ilaga
FounderFeliciano Luces, Sr[1]
LeadersNorberto Manero, Jr.(formerly)
Dates of operationJanuary 1, 1967–1979
2008–present(re-formed as 'New Ilaga')
Split toRed God's Defenders
HeadquartersNorth Cotabato
Active regionsMindanao,Philippines
IdeologyFolk Catholicism
Christian nationalism
Christian fundamentalism
Traditional Catholicism
Islamophobia
OpponentsMoro National Liberation Front(until 1979)
Islamic StateBangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters

Islamic StateMaute Group

Islamic StateAbu Sayyaf
Battles and warsMoro conflict

TheIlagâis aChristian extremist[2][3]paramilitarygroup based in southernPhilippines.The group is predominantly composed ofIlonggos,[4]embracing a form ofFolk Catholicismthat utilizesamuletsand violence.

The group was founded in 1970, in a gathering in a restaurant inCotabato Cityby the then leading politicians in Central Mindanao, Nicolas Dequiña the Mayor ofMidsayapand his political peers, Mayor Wenceslao Dela Cerna ofAlamada,Pacifico Dela Cerna ofLibungan,Bonifacio Tejada ofMlang,Conrado Lemana ofTulunan,Jose Escribano ofTacurong,and Esteban Doruelo ofPigcawayan.This group is led by Feleciano Luces or better known asCommander Toothpick.

The group complemented thePhilippine Constabularyas a militia force during the 1970s in southernMindanaowhile fighting againstMoroguerrillas during theMoro insurgency in the Philippines.[5]

The predominantly Hiligaynon-speaking migrants (fromPanay Islands) in the province of Cotabato organized a private army called the Ilaga (Visayan for rat). To counter the terror of Ilaga attacks on Muslim civilians, members of the Moro elite organized their own heavily armed groups — the Blackshirts in Cotabato, and the Barracudas in Lanao — who responded in kind.[6]

From 1970 to 1971 Ilaga launched a series of 21 massacres that left 518 people dead, 184 injured, and 243 houses burned down.[7]The group committed one of its bloodiest acts with theManili massacreon June 19, 1971, when the group killed 70[8]–79[9]Morocivilians (women, children and elders) inside amosque.[10]

Background

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Main article:Moro insurgency in the Philippines

TheMindanaoregion is rich in natural resources, including large quantities of mineral reserves. TheAmericancolonial government and subsequently thePhilippine governmentpursued a policy of migration by resettling significant numbers ofChristian Filipinosettlers from theVisayasandLuzononto tracts of land in Mindanao, beginning in the 1920s. This policy allowed Christian Filipinos to outnumber both the Moro andLumadpopulations by the 1970s, which was a contributing factor in aggravating grievances between the Moro and Filipino Christian settlers as disputes over land increased. Another grievance by the Moro people is the extraction of Mindanao's natural resources by thecentral governmentwhilst many Moros continued to live in poverty.[11]

The Ilaga originated as an anti-rancheroresistance collective inUpiled by Commander Toothpick (Feliciano Luces),[1]formed byHiligaynon-speakers andTeduraynatives specifically to defend against "apolitical clanof knownMarcos cronies".[12]The group gained legendary status and its members hailed asfolk heroesafter having prevailed over the security personnel of said "oppressive landed family" during an armed encounter, using nothing butmêlée weaponsand homemade firearms.[12]Statesecurity forceswould eventually encourage Hiligaynon-speakingsettlers from Iloilo and Panay Island who had emigratedto Mindanao to grow the militia, but hereaftercooptedfor acompletely different purpose.There is anecdotal evidence that the Ilaga often committed human rights abuses by targeting the Moro and Lumad peoples, as well as attempting to seize additional territory. The end result of Ilaga extremism is the lingering animosity between Moro and Christian communities. Mistrust and a cycle of violence are still felt today due to the creation of the Ilaga.[11]

History

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From March 1970 to January 1972, the Ilaga committed 22 massacres resulting in the deaths of hundreds ofMuslimcivilians (mostly women, children and elders). The group is guilty of "mutilating bodies of victims" and "marking bodies with a Christian cross|cross." The group also burned down and looted many houses and properties.[13]

Manili massacre

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Main article:Manili massacre

Violence attributed to the Ilaga reached its climax on June 19, 1971 with the Manili massacre of 70[8]-79[9]MoroMaguindanaon Civilians(women, children and elders) in amosquein Manili,Carmen,North Cotabato.[14]The Muslim residents of the town had gathered in their mosque to participate in a supposed peace talk withChristiangroups when a group of armed men dressed in uniforms similar to those worn by members of thePhilippine Constabularyopened fire on them.[14]

1971 Battle of Lanao del Norte

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Following the massacre at Manili, manyMaranaoMuslims civilians fled to take shelter in theLanao del Norte.Some Muslims formed small militant groups to counter the Ilaga. One such group was called the "Barracudas" and in September 1971, the Barracudas clashed with the Ilagas resulting in the deaths of hundreds of people on both sides of the conflict. The Ilagas also clashed with thePhilippine Constabulary.The skirmishes continued until October, and over 60 Muslim houses were torched by the Ilaga.[2][15]

Murder of Tullio Favali

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Main article:Tullio Favali

Tullio Favaliwas a member of thePontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME),an all-male international group of priests who are dedicated to evangelization in underdeveloped and non-Christian nations. Favali was assigned to do missions work in the Philippines, particularly in provinces inMindanao.He arrived in the Philippines in 1983, and was ordained as the parish priest of La Esperanza inTulunan,North Cotabato.

On April 11, 1985, Favali was called by townspeople for help after the Manero brothers shot the town's tailor.[16]When the Manero brothers saw him arrive and enter a house, Norberto Jr. dragged his motorcycle and set it on fire. When Favali hurried out after seeing the fire, Edilberto threatened the priest before shooting him pointblank in the head, he then trampled on the fallen priest's body and fired again. This caused the priest's skull to crack open, and Norberto Jr. picked the brains and displayed them to the horrified witnesses. The brothers, along with a few other gang members, stood by laughing and heckling.[17]

The Manero brothers and five others were found guilty of murder, and sentenced to life imprisonment. The court also found Norberto Jr. guilty ofarson.[17]

Noeberto Manero, Jr., however, would later be pardoned.[18]

Post-2008 resurgence

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Increased tensions in the Philippines since 2008 have since seen the re-emergence of the armedvigilantegroup[19]calling themselves theBag-ong Ilaga(Visayan:New Ilaga).[20]Since 2008, violence flared up with theMoro Islamic Liberation Frontand theArmed Forces of the Philippinesafter theSupreme Court of the Philippinesoverruled the proposed treaty for anAutonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.[21][22]

In November 2008, the Ilaga killed five unarmed Muslim civilians in an ambush inLanao del Norte.[3]

In 2012, two members of the group committed robbery and also murdered two civilians. They were then arrested.[23]

In 2016, a splinter group of the Ilaga emerged, theRed God's Defenders.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ab"UC Press E-Books Collection, 1982-2004".Retrieved2022-12-29.
  2. ^abEdiger, Max (September 2001).The Struggle in Mindanao(PDF).Matina Davao City, Philippines: Documentation for Action Groups in Asia. p. 14.
  3. ^ab"Christian militia kills five Muslims in Philippines".Dawn. 3 November 2008.Retrieved21 March2017.
  4. ^Dikit Tiglao, Rigoberto (2019-01-05)."Only Three Scenarios for the Communist Insurgency".Manila Times.
  5. ^"Anti-Moro group resurfaces in NCotabato".philstar.Retrieved26 January2015.
  6. ^https:// c-r.org/accord/philippines%E2%80%93mindanao/mindanao-land-promise-1999.{{cite web}}:Missing or empty|title=(help)
  7. ^"Mindanao: A memory of massacres".The PCIJ Blog.2015-02-13. Archived fromthe originalon 2016-03-03.Retrieved2018-03-10.
  8. ^abMariveles, Julius D."Mindanao: A memory of massacres".Archived fromthe originalon 3 March 2016.Retrieved23 May2016.
  9. ^abArguillas, Carolyn O. (28 January 2010)."De Lima:" Oooops, sorry, it's Ampatuan Massacre not Maguindanao Massacre ".MindaNews. Archived fromthe originalon 4 March 2016.Retrieved23 May2016.
  10. ^Marco Garrido (March 6, 2003)."The evolution of Philippine Muslim insurgency".Asia Times Online.Archived from the original on April 9, 2003.RetrievedSeptember 14,2008.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  11. ^abThe Bangsamoro Struggle for Self-Determintation: A Case Study
  12. ^abMawallil, Amir (2016-06-27)."Manili Massacre: Don't Look Back in Anger".Rappler.
  13. ^Majul, Cesar Adib (2015).The Contemporary Muslim Movement in the Philippines.BookBaby. p. 50.ISBN9781483555584.Retrieved23 October2017.[permanent dead link]
  14. ^abLarousse, William (2001).A Local Church Living for Dialogue: Muslim-Christian Relations in Mindanao-Sulu, Philippines 1965-2000.Gregorian Biblical BookShop. p. 136.ISBN8876528792.
  15. ^Robert, B. McAmis, "Muslim Filipinos 1970-1972," Solidarity 8, No. 2, February 1973, p. 7.
  16. ^"FAVALI, Tullio".Bantayog ng mga Bayani.2015-10-15.Retrieved2018-05-03.
  17. ^ab"Backgrounder on Norberto Manero, Jr".GMA News Online.2008-01-25.Retrieved2018-05-03.
  18. ^Mogato, Manny (January 28, 2008)."Philippines frees notorious priest killer".Reuters.RetrievedMay 10,2021.
  19. ^"New Ilaga revives fears of Mindanao in '70s".Archived fromthe originalon 7 January 2009.Retrieved26 January2015.http://cache1.asset-cache.net/gc/153307109-commander-max-stands-with-his-group-ilaga-a-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=GkZZ8bf5zL1ZiijUmxa7QTpIrPwH16Bce0Gp83jTSVeIm4OGW2CKESx0ucvtWWoGArchived2016-09-24 at theWayback Machinehttp://nimg.sulekha /others/original700/2008-8-27-7-35-43-b3b9c446bc224beb90e3c8e3c21ecdc0-b3b9c446bc224beb90e3c8e3c21ecdc0-2.jpg[permanent dead link]
  20. ^“2 New Vigilante Groups Surface in Mindanao”by Cheryll D. Fiel, Bulatlat Alipato Publications, retrieved September 14, 2008
  21. ^“In Philippines, Abandoned Deal Reignites Rebel War”by Blaine Harden,Washington Post,retrieved September 14, 2008
  22. ^“Mindanao civilians under threat from MILF units and militias”Amnesty InternationalAugust 22, 2008, retrieved September 14, 2008
  23. ^"Inopacan cops nab 2 Ilaga Gang".philstar.Retrieved2018-04-13.
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