The Moro Problem

The Early History of the

Moros
History and Nationality of the Moros owe their beginnings
to; Abu Bakr in Sulu and Kabungsuwan in Mindanao.

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 The early history of the moros

▣ Abu Bakr was a Mohammedan Arabian born in

Mecca. He came to Sulu about 1450 A. D merely
as a trader and settled at Bwansa
▣ He found favor with Raja Baginda and married
his only daughter.

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 Achievements of Abu Bakr

▣ He taught former priests about the Quran and

Arabic, built mosques, and baptised the chiefs as
Mohammedans.
▣ He organized the state, assigned territories and
duties to chiefs, levied taxes and tribute from all
of them.
▣ He reformed the laws of the people, prepared
and published the first code, and established a
system of courts.
▣ He united all the diverse elements of the Sulu
Archipelago into one nation.
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The Nation united
by Abu Bakr
 The Moro Character
The Moro is a Filipino-Malayan of prominent type, raised in
their infancy by Hinduish panditas and brought up by the care
of Mohammedan priests

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 The Moro Character

▣ faithful and devoted worshiper of “Allahu Ta’ala”,

the Almighty God
▣ They turned the timber of their rich forests into
boats and utilized the currents of the sea and
movements of the wind(Navigation of seas)
▣ “He would die rather than surrender” this is what
makes the Moros brave, independent, and
unyielding.

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 The Main Picture
The history of Moroland is full of scenes of horror, cruelty,
and misdirected energies.

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 The Main Picture

▣ Spain tried to dominate the territory of her weak

neighbors and coveted their jewels and resources
▣ throughout the history of this that for 270 years,
natural advantages remained on the side of the
Moros and the Spanish forces could accomplish
no permanent results despite their superior
methods of warfare and military organization.
▣ after 1848 A. D., steam war vessels in the Spanish
navy were introduced, along with modern
artillery in their army, that put the Moros in the
defensive in all future warfare.
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 The Policy of General
Arolas
Governor Arolas, the builder of the town of Jolo. He was an able
commander of troops and a man of unusual integrity.

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 The Policy of General Arolas

▣ Governor Arolas forced to appoint the Sultanate

of Datu Harum but the people refused and the
Sulu chiefs resorted to arms.
▣ Governor Arolas marched against their capital,
Maymbung
▣ Because of the Maymbung campaign, Colonel
Arolas was was soon promoted to Brigadier-
general.
▣ May 9, 1887, Governor Arolas and Sultan Harun
had to march against Parang and invest the
kuta(fort) of Panglima 11Damang.
 The Policy of General Arolas

▣ After the surrender of Damang, an extremely

difficult and trying expedition was sent to Lati
and another to Tapul Island.
▣ Tapul was attacked because Panglima Syadi did
not obey Sultan Harun’s mandates of the
governor of Sulu.
▣ On 29th of July, 1887, Pangyan Inchi Jamila
presented herself at Jolo and expressed her son’s
submission, Raja Muda Amirul Kiram to the
governor of Sulu and to Sultan Harun.
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 The Policy of General Arolas

▣ Governor Arolas was disposed to make Spanish

sovereignty over Sulu, absolute and complete, and
required implicit obedience. However, the Sulus had
a different perspective of this and continued their
resistance.
▣ Another campaign was necessary on the Island of
Siasi
▣ Another against Kadungdung and Southern Lu’uk
and another against the Island of Pata.
▣ Raja Muda Amirul Kiram was expected to humiliate
himself before Sultan Harun but it didn’t happen.
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 The Policy of General Arolas

▣ On October 30, 1887, Bwal and the Northern

Lu’uk district had to be reckoned with.
▣ The Sulus scorned Sultan Harun and his apparent
supremacy, they persisted in their resistance and
allegiance to Amirul Kiram who had the right to
the succession, true to their tradition.
▣ Governor Arolas trampled on the treaty, assumed
arbitrary and absolute authority, and treated
every noncompliance with what he wants to be
disloyalty and insurrection.
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THE STATUS OF SULU IN 1899

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 The status of Sulu in 1899

▣ The cause for which Governor Arolas shed the

blood of several hundred Christian soldier and
killed some thousands of moro was utterly
defeated.
▣ The sulu succeeded at last inaugurating their
candidate of sultan sulu.
▣ The moros were freed of taxes and were
exempted from the laws of Philippine island.

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 EFFECT OF WARS ON MORO
GOVERNMENT
The Sultan ruled with a strong hand and live in prosperous state,
had considerable wealth.

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 EFFECT OF WARS ON MORO GOVERNMENT

▣ Jamalul A'lam l, the father of the present sultan of

sulu, remained rich until his death, but
subsequent wars reduced the estate of his sons.
▣ Each datu took turn to fight General Arolas
without sending reinforcement to others datus.
▣ The total strength of sulu was divided,
insignificant ang disunited entities

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 THE CAUSE OF FAILURE OF
THE SPANISH POLICY
The failure of Spanish in mindanao and sulu was due principally
to three mistakes

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 THE CAUSE OF FAILURE OF THE SPANISH POLICY

1. Intolerance and impatience towards moro

2. Non occupation of the land early with forces
sufficient to maintain Spanish supremacy in the
south
3. Failure to rule over people through their chiefs
and to give proper respect to native authority

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THE EARLY AMERICAN
ADMINISTRATION OF
MINDANAO AND SULU.

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 THE EARLY AMERICAN ADMINISTRATION OF
MINDANAO AND SULU.
▣ In May, 1899, the American troops were ordered South to
relieve the Spanish garrisons in Mindanao and Sulu.
▣ To assure the Moros of the peaceful mission and good intention
that they have, they gave verbal assurances in Mindanao and
Basilan, and General Bates drew a treaty with the Sultan and the
other chiefs in Sulu.
▣ From May 1899 to August 1903, the garrisons have maintained a
peaceful occupation in Mindanao and Sulu, and left the Moros
alone to manage their internal affairs.
▣ In September 1903, all the Moro territory in Mindanao and
Sulu was organized into one province, the Sulu treaty was
revoked, and the present form of the Moro Province was
inaugurated.

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THE PRESENT STATUS OF THE
MOROS

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 THE PRESENT STATUS OF THE MOROS

▣ Up until September 1, 1903, the relation the Sulus

held to the government of the Philippine Islands
was determined by treaty. The terms of the last
Spanish treaty of 1878 and that of General Bates in
1899 are clearly set forth in the History of Sulu.
▣ During the Spanish evacuation, a considerable part
of the Moro territory has not been explored.
▣ Captain Hagadorn of the 23rd U.S. Infantry was the
first white officer to reach the southern shore of
Lake Lanao, while Captain Pershing who is the
present General Pershing, Governor of the Moro
Province, was the first white officer to cross the lake
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by boat from south to north.
 THE PRESENT STATUS OF THE MOROS

▣ The internal affairs of Moros were not interfered

with, and each Moro datuship enjoyed a kind of
autonomy.
▣ The inauguration of the present government of
the Moro Province was therefore the first bold
attempt to break through the fence and take a
hand in the administration of Moro internal
affairs.
▣ the Moros are still outside the fold of the main
Philippine family of tribes.

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PERTINENT CONSIDERATIONS

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 PERTINENT CONSIDERATIONS

▣ The H.R. 22143 known as the Jones Bill suggests

that some Congressmen are not aware of what
the Moros are and what they’re fighting for even
though they have been fighting on the defensive
side since 1848
▣ they resisted every effort made by the foreigners
to manage their internal affairs and invariably
their resistance led to hostility and serious
fighting.

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 PERTINENT CONSIDERATIONS

▣ The Moros do not consider themselves Filipinos

and they do not want to associate politically with
the native Christians.
▣ The Moros however are also greatly disunited,
and there is no community of thought or feeling
among the Moro districts that an independent
Philippine government composed of all the
Christian provinces as contemplated by the Jones
Bill would be stronger than any state they may be
able to organize in the South.

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 PERTINENT CONSIDERATIONS

▣ The Moros were in a much better state of

organization and were better fitted to preserve
peace and order in their territory back then than
they are now.
▣ All Moro authority has been crushed since 1899,
and every strong datu who was living then have
either died or have been killed, leaving the
country completely disrupted and disorganized.

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THE SOLUTION OF
THE MORO
PROBLEM
THE DEFINITION OF THE
MORO PROBLEM

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 THE DEFINITION OF THE MORO PROBLEM

▣ T - Add your points here.

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the basic differences in political
organization between the
moros and the Christian
Filipinos

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the basic differences in political organization
between the moros and the Christian Filipinos
▣ T - Add your points here.

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 the principal issues
involved in the moro
problem and their
solution

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the principal issues involved in the moro problem
and their solution
▣ T - Add your points here.

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the inequality of rights
among the people

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 the inequality of rights among the people

▣ T - Add your points here.

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the illiteracy of the people

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 the illiteracy of the people

▣ T - Add your points here.

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the question of religion

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 the question of religion

▣ T - Add your points here.

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 Land ownership and
Township organization
Granted a condition of peace in the datuship, it becomes the
duty of the government to survey the land and grant titles or
allot homesteads to all worthy members of the datuship.

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 Land ownership and Township organization

▣ The moro township is settled agricultural

community which has tilled soil it occupies for
years and ages.
▣ Moro datus do not issue titles for the land, nor
the Spain attempt any action in this regard.
▣ A readjustment of property rights will then be
found necessary and each person should get his
just dues.

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 The most basic administrative
measures calculated to effect the
solution of the Moro problem

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 The recognition of the datu

1. the government cannot deal with a mob.

2. it cannot transact business with an irresponsible chief.
3. the datu should be recognized as a regular office of state.
4. he should be treated and respected in a manner that makes him
know and feel that he is a part of the government.
5. he should be assured of his position and should then be held
responsible for peace and order in the datuship.
6. the datu should understand his duty and enforces his authority.
7. the datu should be obeyed by is subjects and the laws must be
respected by the people.

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 The organization of Moro courts

▣ The datu is always the supreme court of the datuship

▣ In Sulu, the sultan is the head of the state, the church, and in the
supreme court of the archipelago.
▣ The state is divided into districts each of which is governed by a
panglima, and sub districts each of which is governed by a
maharaja.
▣ In Magindaw the sultan claims the highest authority of state,
church, court, but seldom exercises the office of priest or judge
in person.
▣ After reaching a certain grade of learning, the pandita or priest
is raised by the datu to the rank of judge (datu-kali).

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 The organization of Moro courts

▣ The office of sultan or datu is chiefly

administrative and ministers of state (wazir) are
appointed to assist the sultan or datu in
conducting the executive department of the
sultanate or datuship.
▣ The establishment of Moro courts should not,
therefore, meet with any opposition from either
the people or the datus, for they are accustomed
to them and can easily adjust themselves to
minor changes, if there be any.

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 The organization of datuship councils

▣ The smaller datuship exist chiefly in the Lanao

District while the larger one prevails in Magindanaw
and Sulu.
▣ Such datuship presents two significant fact for
consideration. First, the settlements are too many
and too far apart to admit of being directly and
adequately governed by one chief and one court.
Second, the history of each settlement is generally
found to become so intimately associated with its
local or subordinate chief as to render his
continuation in office a necessary and a potent
factor for peace and for the welfare of the
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 The organization of datuship councils

▣ In some cases the local chief represents the

formerly independent head of that settlement
and his relation to his people is naturally very
intimate and strong.
▣ Such council would provide proper official
positions for the subordinate chiefs and would fit
admirably into the general plan of the gradual
evolution or transformation of the datuship into
a municipality.

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 The organization of datuship councils

▣ The datu would naturally be the president of the

datuship council and each subordinate chief a
councilor who would represent the datu within
his settlement and thus remain in power.
▣ He should not be the sole legislator and executive
officer of the datuship.
▣ By the nature of its existence such a council
would assume general control over legislation
and taxation and would check the datu’s
autocratic tendencies along these lines.

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 The organization of datuship councils

▣ Sooner or later it would issue ordinances and

regulations for the datuship , enact police laws,
and make assessments for public works. It would
provide for schools, roads, markets, irrigation
ditches, etc., and gradually control all the
activities of the datuship.
▣ Councils are old institution of Moroland and
their renewal should not disturb its peace.

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 Thanks!
Any questions?

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