By 1847 the Spaniards had recovered sufficiently from the terrific battering of the preceding two decades to attempt the colonization of the Davao Gulf region of southern Mindanao. Jose Oyanguren engaged the Manobo and Bagobo hill people of that region and succeeded in establishing a foothold near the pirate depot on Sarangani Island. Oyanguren had undertaken the campaign at his own expense with the understanding that he would be permitted to remain as governor of the captured territory for a period of ten years. Governor-General Claveria supplied the expedition with arms and ammunition and Oyanguren did well in a campaign conducted over a period of two years. He was recalled, however, in the midst of the campaign as it was decided that the territory was too isolated to colonize properly.

During the year 1949 there arrived from Spain formidable additions to the Spanish arms in the new steam warships Magallanes, Elcano and Reina de Castilla. Claveria decided to break up the Samal pirate strongholds in the south.

The Moros held the fortified islands of Balanguingue and Tonquil, where they established a great pirate base. Tonquil had been captured by the Spanish upon several occasions but they had been unable to retain possession. Balanguingue Island had remained through all the years of the struggle as an impregnable position defying Spanish attack.

The pirate forts were admirably protected by shallow coral reefs and by the high earthen walls which bristled with brass cannon.

Claveria attacked with a formidable land force which was supplemented by the new steam cruisers. The warships could sail faster than the Moro garays, and their armament was immensely superior. The Moro vessels took shelter at Balanguingue and the men retreated to the walls of the fortress.

Now the steam vessels came into play. The Elcano and the Reina de Castilla approached through one channel entrance, successfully threading their way through he reefs to a point which brought them well within the cannon range of the pirate fort. Supported by the Magallanes, which opened a cross-fire from another channel, a deadly barrage was laid upon the Moro citadel.

Under cover of the terrific artillery fire, a large Spanish force was landed on the beach. Claveria gave the order that there was to be no quarter. The Spanish troops attacked the walls three times and were repulsed with heavy losses. After each unsuccessful Spanish charge, the Moros sallied from the fort to come to death grips with the Spaniards. Clad in suits of mail fashioned from carabao horn, the Moros hurled themselves upon the superior weapons of the Spaniards.

The Moro defense was greatly weakened as more than half of the troops were away on a pirate cruise. As the Spaniards re-formed for the fourth charge which was to take the citadel, the Moros took counsel on their battered walls. It was apparent that their defense was hopeless. Screams rose from the fortress as the Moros killed their women and children. The gates were the opened and the krismen rushed into the open to meet their death before the Spanish rifles.

Four hundred Moro warriors died in this action. The Spaniards released 200 slaves and captured more than 150 pirate ships. For the living slaves found in the pirate fortress the Moros must be commended highly. They killed their own women and children to prevent them falling into the hands of the Spaniards, but the helpless slaves were spared in that dreadful moment before the krismen advanced to seek their death.

In 1850 Urbiztondo completed the destruction of the pirate strongholds with a successful assault on Tonquil Island.

Jolo was then attacked on February 27, 1851. The Spanish squadron blasted the walls with artillery fire and burned the town after suffering heavy casualties in the last bloody assault. The capture of the Moro capital was not accompanied by occupation of the city. The invaders departed after a few days, but not before they had destroyed the town by fire and removed 112 pieces of artillery.

During this period, a Spanish expedition to the Island of Basilan failed because the troops were recalled hastily to defend the fortress at Zamboanga against a determined Moro attacks by more than 3,000 warriors.

The Spanish success did not have the desired effect of weakening the Moro resistance. The Spaniards were unable to retain possession of the Moro capital at Jolo and an abortive treaty was signed with the Sultan f Sulu, with Spain settling upon the Sultan an annual payment of 1,500 pesos in the hope that he would use his influence to suppress piracy.

The Moros rebuilt their shattered citadels and affairs in Sulu were soon moving in their accustomed course, with the pirates as busy as before.

Indeed, matters reached such a state that before the end of the year warships were ordered out for another attack on Jolo. Four regiments of infantry and a corps of artillery aided the gunboats. Included was a battalion of Cebuanoes who sought revenge for the Moro raids. The wives of the Cebuanoes emulated Lysistrata in reverse. Every wife took an oath before Father Ibanez to deny forever their husbands all of their favors if the Cebuano men turned their backs to the Moros.

In the battle of Jolo, Father Ibanez lost his life in the assault on a Moro cotta. The good Father tucked his cassock about his waist and plunged into the thickest of the battle. The Cebuanoes performed prodigies of valor and Jolo fell again. The seat of the Sultanate was removed across the island to Maybun, and the Moros paid regular visits to Jolo to slaughter the Spanish garrison which remained.

Padre Crevas, writing of Moro successes of this period, says: "The results of the Spanish expedition, it is sorrowful to confess, having been almost null in spite of the banks of the beautiful river having been bathed in Spanish blood. The company of Jesus have see perish at the hands of the Moros, four of its sons, Fathers Zamora, Sanchez, Lopez and Monthiel; and others reduced to miserable captivity without the Spanish banner being able to protect them."

The Moros, recovering their capital after a series of bloody assaults, were now in a position to resume the offensive. In 1858 a determined Moro attack was launched upon Zamboanga. All of the inhabitants were forced within the strong walls and the town was systematically looted and then burned, while the Spanish garrison remained powerless to prevent the outrage.

The whole country was overrun with Moro bandits. Eighteen steam vessels were based at Isabela in a vain effort to stem piracy and protect the seas. A force of two steam sloops and nine gunboats patrolled Sulu constantly to protect Spanish traffic between manila and Zamboanga.

The hampering effect of the steam vessels infuriated the Moros. Instead of quelling their activities, however, it resulted in a greatly increased pirate activity during the years 1860 to 1863.

A time had arrived for the summing up of the results of the 300 years which had elapsed since De Sande had taken the first expedition to Mindanao and Sulu. Spain was face to face with the facts of frustration and defeat. As a payer of Royal tribute the Moro was elusive. Payments of money were following an opposite current, with the Sultan of Sulu the recipient of an annuity of 1,500 pesos from Spain.

A word might be said in regard to the tribute system of Spain. Among the Filipino tribes, the Spaniards required of each person an annual tribute of six reales, or about seventy-five cents per couple. In addition to this payment of money, each male was required to give his personal services during forty days of each year, working for the benefit of the public as he was ordered by the government. This enforced labor was greatly abused by officials, who employed the peons for their own private ventures. This service was never regularly impressed upon the Moros in all of the Spanish occupation of the Philippines. Nor was the payment of the annual head tax.

Spanish historians, writing as late as 1860, say: "The people of Zamboanga are braver than any of the Filipino (Christian) natives, and the Moros have so proven their courage that the name Zamboanga is heard with awe, so skillful are they with the management of the kris, lance and campilan. From ancient times the inhabitants of Zamboanga have been exempt from tribute."

This inability of the Spaniards to collect tribute from the Moros was intolerable if the Spanish prestige in the East was to be maintained. In order to clothe this inability with certain legal aspects, a typical Spanish gesture was made on September 24, 1877.

By a decree of this date, all of the Moros of Sulu were exempted from the payment of all tribute or taxes for a period of ten years. This done, the Spaniards settled back in a spirit of pious pleasure at the thought of the manifestly fair treatment meted to the Mohammedans.

Great was the hilarity among the Moros at Jolo. Some of the old chieftains laughed for the fist time in years.

"Since when," asked the Datus, "has a Moro paid tribute to Spain?"

Filipiniana Reprint Series © 1985 Cacho Hermanos, Inc.

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