Kennyben M.

Gallogo

BMED-1

RAIDERS IN SULU SEA

Author: Icelle G. Borja

The History channel showed a documentary about what was claimed then as pirates of
the Sulu seas from Mindanao, Philippines. The documentary was on how these raiders
were actually plying their trade before and during the Spanish colonization of the
Philippines. The Spanish established their colony on the southern tip of Mindanao in
Zamboanga. Fort Pilar was constructed with ten (10) meter-high wall fortification all
around. This was the base of the Spaniards to facilitate their trade. Zamboanga is very
close to Basilan, the Tawi-tawi and Sulu group of islands and the Maguindanao area
where there we three different tribes of seafaring Filipino Muslims. The three tribes were
known as Balangingi-Samal, Ilanuns and Sultanate of Sulu, all which were employing
Taosogs who were excellent warriors.

The three tribes are not really pirates during the times they were plying their trade of
capturing people and selling them as slaves. Slave trading was a business then and
they were not raiding ships in high seas. What they did was go and land in different
shores posing as fishermen. Without any warning, draw their 1-meter long swords and
take as many slaves as they can. Once captured, the slaves’ palms are punctured and
tied to each other. The slaves are loaded in their 25 to 27 meter by 6 meter boats that
has 30 to 34 oarsmen and sails. It was said that their boats were the fastest that Spanish
Galleons could not even give chase. The History documentary was actually focusing on
how the tribes were able to organize a flotilla of a hundred ships or more with more
than 3,000 men. This happened when the three tribes connived to raid Fort Pilar. The
Spanish were stricken with fear upon seeing the number of boats and the army they
were to face.

How were the hundred or more boats gathered? Well, the three tribes had some sort of
a pact on how to go about their business and employing Taosogs as their warriors. One
tribe could set out to sea with a few boats then drop-by each of the several bases of
the tribes along the shores. They would call upon all available seafarers to join the
expedition. As they go along, their numbers grow. The slavery trade of the three tribes
ended only when the Spaniards ordered three steamboats from England. The
steamboats were faster, easier to navigate and had various armaments to take on the
tribes. Spaniards were now able to chase and follow the boats to their bases and
conduct raids. It was said that the conflict between the tribes and the Spaniards did
not stem from business or trade but was more on belief, religious belief.
Internal Criticism

For my Internal Criticism for this article were the author focuses on the slave raiding as
retaliation on colonizers- the sophisticated ancient maritime vessels such as the Lanong,
Garay and the Salisipan and tools of war such as the Barong, Kris, and the Kampilan
and the well-organized forces that is launched for slave raiding the coasts of Mindanao
Visayas, and Luzon, between July to October called as the Pirate wind “ Pirate
monsoon” For the truthfulness for this article in which she was an Art Historian.