FSUN
DECC (DISTANCE
EDUCATION COMPUTER COURSES)
SCHOLARSHIP
PROGRAM
Contributed by: Christopher
Jay M. de Belen
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FSUN 19th Floor, Cityland 10, Tower 1,
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The United States of America declared war against Spain on 24 April 1898(1) after the battleship USS Maine was blown up in Havana harbor on 15 February 1898 killing 260 men aboard(2). On 01 May 1898, US Admiral George Dewey challenged the Spanish Armada of Admiral Patricio Montojo in Manila Bay. The modern navy defeated the aging Spanish fleet in Battle of Manila Bay. Seeing this as the defeat of Spain, General Emilio Aguinaldo declared Independence in Kawit, Cavite. Meanwhile in Mindanao,the Moros began attacking Spanish garrisons. One by one the garrisons fell and the remaining Spanish evacuated other fortified places fearing the vengeance of Moros. Chaos reigned over wide areas and there was skirmishes between pro American Filipino revolutionaries and the Moro groups. Spain ceded the Philippines, Puerto Rico and Guam for 20 million Mexican dollars(3) and Cuba was granted Independence on 10 December 1898(4) under the Treaty of Paris. In this treaty, Mindanao was annexed into the Philippines even without subjugating the land or establishing a colonial government. Hence, treaty is void ab initio. United States did not recognize the Declaration of Independence by Emilio Aguinaldo but instead occupied the strategic areas vacated by Spaniards. The United States provoked the Filipino-American War when US soldier Willie W. Grayson shoot a Filipino soldier on patrol in San Juan Bridge on 04 February 1899(5). The United States send Brigadier General John C. Bates to negotiate a treaty with Sultan Jamalul Kiram II after US President William McKinley had a second thought on validity of the treaty and Spain's claimed sovereignty over Mindanao. Add the armed Moros which made the situation threatening. For more than a month of diplomacy and refinement in the conditions, Jamalul Kiram II signed the treaty on 20 August 1899. The treaty was known as the Kiram-Bates Treaty. 15 articles were included in it and confirmed by the President of the United States on April 1900. Both parties disputed the interpretations. The Sultan wanted the recognition of Bangsamoro State as different from Revolutionary Government formed by Gen. Aguinaldo. America applied different strategy to handle the Moros. Ranging from military, politics, social, economic and educational. US troops poured in Jolo, Palawan, Cotabato, Polloc, Parang, and Banganga in 1899. The Military District of Mindanao was created under the command of General John C. Bates. The command was relinquished to Brigadier General William Kobbe on 20 March 1900 and to Brigadier General Samul Sumner in 1902. By virtue of 1903 Moro Act(6), the Military District became Moro Province with Major General Wood as the first Governor. From there on various laws were implemented until 1919 including the Torrens land titling system which was unknown to Moros and Lumads thereby depriving them of their ancestral lands which in favor to the settlers and multinational companies to acquire vast lands. The creation of Moro Province provided the America to manipulate the Moro Land which is a violation of Kiram-Bates Treaty.The America wanted to prepare the integration and assimilation of Moros into body politics. The Governor enforced Custom Regulations, Tax Levy, land survey, mapping, and exploration of natural resources. In United States, President McKinley was shot by an anarchist on 06 September 1901 and Theodore Roosevelt took oath as new President(7).On 02 March 1904, President Roosevelt declared the Kiram-Bates Treaty null and void. Governor Wood, informed Sultan Kiram on 21 March 1904 of the decision. The abrogation of treaty enabled the America to shift from Military to Civilian Rule. General Wood was relieved by Brigadier General Tasker Bliss on 16 April 1906 and Brigadier General John C. Pershing on November 1909 until the creation of Department of Mindanao and Sulu. General Pershing was responsible for the first Christian settlers in Mindanao in 1912 and the implementation of Disarmament Policy. BUD DAHO- Bud Daho is a dormant volcano 6 miles from Jolo with an altitude of 2,100 feet. 1 thousand armed Moro men, women, and children were inside the crater with their leader Laksamana Usap. The group were protesting the collection of tax by America. It is an insult to collect taxes from the real owners of the land by these new comers. Colonel Joseph Duncan led the assault with infantry, artillery battery and gunboat as back up support. The battle begun on 06 March 1906 and ended after 2 days. 6 out of 1,000 survived with only 21 casualties on American side including the wounded Colonel Duncan. BUD BAGSAK- The negotiations regarding the Disarmament Policy with Moro leaders Nakip Amil, Datus Jami, and Sahipa failed and the Moro leaders decided to make their stand in another dormant volcano, the Bud Bagsak. 500 defenders camp inside the crater. The 5 days heavy fighting ended on 15 June 1913 with the defenders mostly perished. ALANGKAT MOVEMENT- The mostly Manobo tribe under Datu Mampurok were against the increasing arrival of Christian settlers. As a sign of protest, members undergo deep trance and after which they run into warpath killing Christians and Americans. Colonel Steve and Major Gutierrez with an armed contingent entered the Manobo community and shoot indiscriminately killing 29 Manobo men, women and children including Datu Mampurok. Other armed resistance were launched by the following: Datu Hassan in 1903-1904, Sariol in 1905,Calibay and Sumunsung brothers in 1906, Datu Tahil in Basilan, Jakiri in Sulu waters and Datu Ampuanasa-os of Taraka(8). THE PREPARATORY TO COMMONWEALTH The Moro Province was named Department of Mindanao and Sulu on 13 March 1914 and Frank C. Carpenter as first Civilian Governor. Carpenter was remembered for the 1915 Carpenter Agreement which forced the Sulu Sultan to renounce his sovereignty and accept the Policy of Attraction. In 1916, by virtue of Jones Law, the Legislative power over the Moro Province was given to Philippine Legislature and by 1920 the Christian Filipinos had the hand in Moro administration . The Philippine Legislative Act # 2878 provided the creation of Non-Christian Tribes to establish the mutual understanding and fusion of Moro and Lumads to form with the majority of Filipinos. Thereby, the Department of Mindanao and Sulu was abolished on 05 February 1920. Governor Frank Carpenter was succeeded by Teopisto Guingona. On 09 June 1921, 57 Datus petitioned the American authorities in Manila and Washington not to turnover the administration of Mindanao to the Filipinos. In 1926, New York Congressman Robert L. Bacon introduced House Bill # 12772 proposing a separate Mindanao and Sulu from the Philippines and be retained as American colony. Unfortunately for the Moros, the bill did not pushed through. US President Theodore Roosevelt signed Tydings-McDuffie Law on 24 March 1934 providing the specific various steps necessary for the establishment of a Commonwealth Republic. The first necessary step was to draft a Constitution through a convention before the date of 01 October 1934. The draft is subject to approval by the US President. If the draft will be approved, the people will elect the officials of the Commonwealth and the Independence will be granted after 10 year transition period. 202 delegates were elected on 10 July 1934. Only 6 came from Mindanao, 4 Moros and 2 Christians. The Moros were Datu Blah Sinsuat, Minandang Piang, Arolaw Tulawie, and Alauya Alonto. The Christians were Tomas Cabili and Jose Montano. Claro M. Recto presided as Head of Convention on 30 July 1934. The delegates participated in the deliberation but unheard because of their number. The Moro delegates signed the draft but Tomas Cabili objected with the reasons that the draft did not provide election of Representatives for Lanao, Cotabato, and Sulu and no special provision was given to Non Christian and Lumad population of Mindanao. The Moros oppossed the draft for it did not recognize the distinct and different Muslim traditions, customs and laws which is based on Islam. However the draft was ratified. The Legislative Act #4197 or Quirino-Recto Colonization Act was enacted on 12 February 1935. The Commonwealth considered the Act as a lasting solution to Mindanao colony. The Act invites massive arrival of settlers from Luzon and Visayas with the added support from the Government. On 18 March 1935, Hadji Abdulmajid Bongabong led 120 Maranao Chieftains and passed a manifesto known as Dansalan Declaration to the US President opposing the annexation of Mindanao to Luzon and Visayas. |
