The Battle of Bayang

In the account of our key informant14 he said that when the Americans captured the two (2) camps of Binidayan, the cotta of Pandapatan was the last defense for the Maranaos. But, still they continued to fight the Americans. That night before the Americans attacked the cotta, the Maranaos were gathered inside. They heard that the Americans already took the cottas nearby and that they were advancing toward their cottas. Not only that, the Bayang people already saw signs in the heavens that something was going to happen. So in preparation for the battle, that night an Imam delivered a sermon. He reminded them that this battle they were waging was for a cause, defending their land and most importantly to defend Islam. A Muslim fights with his wealth and his person “in the way of God” for the sake of these values in which, neither personal gains nor greed is a motive for him. They were imbued with the idea that before a Muslim went in the battlefield, he has already fought a great battle within himself and that was, against his own desire and ambitions, personal interests and inclinations, the interests of his family and of his nation, against anything which was not from Islam against every obstacle which comes into the way of worshipping God and the implementation of the Divine authority to God and taking it away from the rebellious usurpers. The Imam reminded them that the defense of the homeland of Islam is the defense of the Islamic beliefs, the Islamic way of life and the Islamic community. After listening to the sermon, they made an ablution in preparation for the battle. The Maranaos were garbed in their battle costume, which was composed of a trouser snugly fit in their legs and an upper garment decorated with designs. The weapon of the datu used in slaying the enemy was called “sundang” and for the followers were “kampilans”. Every time they assaulted the Americans they hit the agong and shouted “ Ya mugis Ya gizna Ya Allah”.15 It is a verse in Qur’an which, means that “ Oh God controller of rain give us rain for we are thirsty.” This is asking for the mercy of Allah. From the point of view of the Bayang people, the battle they were waging was for the cause of Islam. It is an obligation for every Muslim to defend their religion against anybody who attempts to colonize them. For the Muslim as one of the fundamental teachings of Islam their homeland has become the fortress for their Islamic belief, a place for its way of life and a center for the movement for the total freedom of man. The defense of the dar ul-Islam16 was always paramount. When dar ul-Islam was invaded, its defense as a collective effort normally fell under the leadership of the khalif or sultan.

The day before the assault of Padang Karbala, the Bayang people already knew that they were about to die but it was for the cause of defending the preservation of their religion and upon his death he was called shahid.17 For the Muslims, when they died shahid, the reward awaits for them in heaven. That they were also told about the story of the battle waged by Imam Hussein the grandson of the Prophet in Karbala who fought against the unbelievers however many of his followers died because their enemies poisoned the water in the river.

Inside the cotta of Pandaptan, they were on the verge of emotional outburst thus some were tied because they wanted now to attack the enemy. According to Mangursao, at that time they were asking the guidance of God to help them in their struggle, “kapaki Prang”18 “pikitidawa ko lalan ko Allah” 19 ready to fight and die in the name of Islam alone.

The day finally arrived when the Bayang forces encountered with the Americans, they were all prepared physically and spiritually. They have all submitted to the will of Allah in defending their homeland. They saw now the American forces approaching. A message was sent to them that cottas of Binidayan were taken. At a distant, they saw the horses of the Americans came charging and they started to fire them with their Lantacas.20 They could see American soldiers falling from their horses as they galloped the canals. Horses were falling one by one in the canals surrounding the cotta of Pandapatan.

However, because the weapons of the Americans were better and more superior they succeeded in penetrating the cotta of Pandapatan. The first and second defense line of the cotta collapsed and the Americans were about to enter the third defense line. The Americans started to fire at them, other Maranao warriors tried to escape but when they reached at the ditch the Americans shot them. However, before they started falling to the ground some Maranao warriors were able to slay American soldiers with their Kampilans.21 They refused to die. It was a suicidal act on their part because they knew for a fact that they would be killed but somehow what was important then was that they have shown courage and bravery in the battlefield.

Suddenly it rained very hard around mid in the afternoon, and the fog was so thick that they could hardly see one another inside the cotta. Their laylas and lantacas would not fire anymore thus some of them now used their kampilans to slay the Americans. But since it was impossible for them to see one another, the Americans withdrew their forces to Ganassi. The encounter stopped. For the Maranaos they considered the heavy rains as a blessing from heaven. Their prayers have been granted.

The following morning they put up a white flag in the cotta of Pandapatan to manifest that their leader was killed in the battle and the Maranaos who were lying lifeless on the ground.

Inside the cotta, blood was everywhere and it measured until ankle level. Dead bodies were scattered inside and outside the cotta. There were only seven males who survived with families during the battle. They were Madayao Sahidusaman, Sari Lama, Saro Mantang, Bantuas, Labao, Kadayunan and Mangursao. However there were other survivors but they were not from Bayang, they came from Bita, Binidayan, Lumbatan and other places. Mangursao (father of the informant) who was one of the survivors, escaped to Wato for recuperation but it was only later on they discovered that he was mortally wounded during the Battle and had survived.

The Maranaos who fought in Padang Karbala admitted that they were defeated in terms of the number of survivors, because of the casualties they suffered in that battle. They did not have sufficient weapons to fight against the Americans’ superior ones. The only significant matter was they fought with all their courage because they never wanted to be subjugated by the Americans. They fought the Americans and they were prepared to die for it because a reward awaited them in the Herelife after. They believed that even before their bodies touched the ground their heads were already taken by the Midadari.22 Moreover, even if they died in the battle it was still a victory of their souls. This was founded on the belief that when a Muslim fights in the way of Allah and dies, he is considered a shahid.

For those who fought and died in the Battle of Bayang they desired that their tradition and customs handed down from their ancestors should be preserved. They did not want that strangers (sarwang a tao) stepped in to their land that were not Muslims because they did not wish that their tradition would be blemished with other “foreign culture” and most importantly they considered the Americans as “Kafir”.23

It is important to note that the Battle of Bayang was a symbol of courage and strength to fight as a Muslim and it was their duty to protect and preserve their homeland. A true Muslim must defend its territory from any aggression that threatens to undermine the religion of Islam.

From the point of view of the Maranao, in terms of magnitude, the Battle of Bayang was considered to be a war against a colonizer because of the collective effort of the Maranaos who refused to be vanquished and colonized from the Americans. It was considered to be a general uprising of the Moro people waged against the Americans in protest of their presence in the Lanao region. It was the first encounter between the Maranaos and the Americans in the Moroland. The battle of Bayang was significant indeed for it manifested the refusal of the Maranaos to welcome any stranger in their territory. It is an unalienable right of the Maranaos to safeguard their land from any aggression.

The Maranaos claimed that, there were American soldiers who died starting from the time they decided to explore Lake Lanao. The Maranaos ambushed and killed American soldiers along the trails of Marugong. The Maranaos made series of surprise attacks either ambushing or confiscating the weapons of the Americans. In fact these weapons were used in fighting against them. Nevertheless, on the last day of the battle both forces were forced to withdraw because of heavy rains and their gunpowder would not fire anymore.

On the day the Americans decided to attack Fort Pandapatan, the Americans succeeded in bringing the cotta down. Left with out a choice, the Bayang people fought the Americans using all their weapons they had with them. They used “Layla” which was considered their strongest weapon. A black powder was placed inside the “Layla” then a long chain came out, it strangled the person cutting its head.

These were the people, the names of those who in their lives fought for life in the name of freedom and indepence. Pandapatan, Pigkililan, Mangarugong, Mangursao (grandfather of the key Informant) and brothers of his father died in the battle.

Weapons used by the Americans were tutud24 and kapkap25, which was used by the American officers. It was a short barrel gun issued only to the American Officers. According to Mangorsao, they were able to steal some of these weapons.

The ravages of war remained in the memories of those who survived yet they continued to relive the battle their ancestors have started. They were the living testimony of bravery and courage for their spirits remain unconquered.

After the battle, a rainbow was seen across the sky stretching its magnificent colors over the site of the battle. It was like a “tihaya” or light from the heavens. According to the people it was an indication that the place was given blessings by God. The place was considered sacred for many died in the Padang Karbala in the name of faith. They died martyrs. 26

End Notes

1 H. Savage Landor. Gems of the East. New York: Harper and Row, 1904. p. 283.

2 Sarwang a tao is a term used by the Maranaos which refers to a foreigner of different culture and religion.

3 lawig is a Maranao term which means a small tent

4 mama-an consist of namat or leaves, lagat or tobacco, mama or betel nut and apog or lime.

5 Annual Report of the Philippine Commission 1904. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1906, p. 7.

6 Annual Report of the Secretary of War Department, 1899-1903.Washington: Government Printing Office, 1901, p. 263.

7 pandi is a Maranao term for a flag

8 pasandalan refers to a bamboo pole in which the flag is hoisted.

9 Interview with Hadji kuddus Decampong at his residence, Bayang Lanao del Sur last December 12, 2001.

10 Amigos was the term used by those datus who befriended the Americans

11 Interview with Decampong

12 Interview with Datu Pandapatan Balt, at his residence, Bayang Lanao del Sur last January 26, 2002,

13 Interview with Mama sa Masiu at his residence Bayang Lanao del Sur, last December 11, 2001.

14 Interview with Hadji Salic Mangursao at his residence, Bayang, Lanao del Sur last December 19, 2001.

15 Ya mugis Ya gizna Ya Allah is lifted from a Qu’ranic verse which means Oh God Controller of rain, give us rain for we are thirsty. It was translated by Aleem Mahdi Said

16 Dar-ul-Islam refers to the abode or territory of Islam

17 shahid is an Arabic for martyr

18 kapaki prang refers to fighting

19 pikitidawa ko lalan ko Allah means fighting for the cause of God alone

20 lantacas were small brass cannon used by the Maranaos used against the Americans

21 kampilans were long bladed sword.

22 midadari refers to maidens from heaven

23khafir is an Arabic word for unbelievers

24 tutud is a long barrel gun which was stolen by the Maranaos from the Americnas. The Americans called it Krag.

25 kakpkap was a small barrel gun issued only to the American officers.

26 interview with Hadji macara Modiaba, a retired Public School District Supervisor, at his residence last Sept. 17, 2001. baying Lanao del Sur.