Atty MakiLest we forget, we need to go back to history and trace the cruelties of war and violence. We exclude to tell here the Spanish-Moro Wars, the US militarization, killings and occupation of the Moro province (1899-1914) and the Department of Mindanao and Sulu (1914-1920) ) that have caused hundreds of thousands of deaths and hurtful memories that have permeated in the hearts and minds of the Moros as well as the entire Filipinos.

In our most recent memories, we have:

1) JABIDAH MASSACRE (also called as the CORREGIDOR MASSACRE), happened on March 18, 1968 in which Philippine military had massacred around 68 Moro Muslim recruits who were escaping their covert training to reclaim Sabah. The Jabidah Massacre had led to the radicalization of Moros and the establishment of MNLF. The Operation Merdeka was a failed plan of President Marcos. Sadly, the insurgency in the South was partly, if not mainly, caused by the people in Malacanang.

2) MANILI MASSACRE occured in June 19, 1971 during the mass killings of 73-79 Moro Muslims, including women and children committed in a mosque in Manili, Carmen, North Cotabato. Ilaga Christian group and Phillipine Constabulary were the behind the attacks. Sadly not one was found to be responsible for the massacre but this massacre was known to the world. This had increased mistrust between Moro Muslims and Christians. World Muslim leaders like former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi provided military aid to the secessionist group, Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

3) TACUB MASSACRE where 40 Muslims were killed in Kauswagan Municipality in Lanao del Norte in November 1971 by the military and Ilaga armed group.

4) MALISBONG MASSACRE or TACBIL MOSQUE MASSACRE happened in September 24, 1974 when in Malisbong, Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat province, where an AFP military killed 1,776 praying Moro Muslim civilian worshippers. Muslim Moro girls were also taken aboard a Philippine naval boat and subjected to mass rape. This was one of the cruel stories of the war in Mindanao. We have no FB or social media to highlight the massacre and rape.

5) PATIKUL MASSACRE. Violence begets violence. Massacre where 700 were killed in Sulu. This is also known as Double 10, because it happened in October 10, 1977 when Brig. Gen. Teodulfo Bautista of the Philippine Army, and 34 of his men were also killed by local Muslim rebel leader Usman Sali in Patikul, Sulu.

6) PATA ISLAND MASSACRE where 2,000 Moro civilians happened were killed in a military operation, This happened in February 9, 1981. The government admitted only 750. There was a world wide condemnation of human rights abuses of the Philippine military. There were also 120 death casualites of Phillipine soldiers, one of the biggest death figures in the history of insurgency. However, there was a news black out or censorship by Marcos regime wanting to paint good picture of the country because Pope Paul II just arrived in the country on February 8.

Bothe recorded and unrecorded, there were numerous collateral damages of lives and properties, countless wars, encounters, ambushes, clashes and battles between the military/soldiers and insurgent rebels/mujahideen during the time of Marcos up to Estrada All-Out-War and to the present time.

Those who dont want to know history will definitely be haunted by the horrors of the past and will most likely experience it again.

Dean Julkipli Wadi of UP Institute of Islamic Studies, in his speech at BBL senate hearing, has correctly said that one way of solving the Mindanao and Sulu problem is to have the "SCALE OF HISTORY."