“Unti-unti nang pumapatay ang mga ilaga at nagpa sulat ang officer ng Municipality of Carmen na may meeting dito sa Manili, dito sa lugar namin ang Officer ng munisipyo na si Usman Amelia at sinabi nya na mag tipun – tipon kami sa araw ng sabado taong June 19, 1971”. According to Theng, prior to the massacre there were reported killings happening around the village. The residents of Manili received a letter that informs everyone to gather in the mosque and participate in a supposed peace talk among and between Moros and Christians on June 19, 1971. But days before the meeting happened, the Ilaga are starting to burn houses in the Manili for no clear reason. “Hindi pa naganap yung sinasabing meeting dito sa Lanon ay may mga sinusunog na na bahay, may isang hapon araw ng Huwebes habang nasa bakuran kami may natatanaw kami na pinag susunog na ng mga Ilaga…” Theng said. According to him, there was an order coming from the head of the Ilaga named “Hesus” calling all the leaders and pioneers in Manili. “Sinabi ni Hesus na pumunta sa kanya ung mga matatandang pinag kakatiwalaan ung mga ninuno at para daw sila ay makapag usap at yun na nga pumunta ang tatay ko si Haji Usop at mga kasamahan nyang sina Haji Acob, Haji Kabeb, Haji Omar, si Abusama, si Kadil Nagli at si Abdul Nagli Abas maraming nagsi punta kasama din sina P’ndatun at si Abedin nang makarating na sila doon sa skwelahan sa Manili Primary School ay pinapasok ang lahat ng mga tao sa loob at isinara nila ang pintuan at ni-lock at ang nakabalik lng sa mosque ay ang tatay ko na si Haji Usop, Haji Acob at si Abas Nagli” and upon the order, Haji Usop including Haji Acob, Haji Kabeb, Haji Omar, Abusama, Kadil Nagli, Abdul Nagli Abas, Pendatun and Abedin went to the Manili Primary School and as soon as they arrived, they locked all the doors and only his father, Haji Usop managed to back to the mosque together with Haji Acob and Abas Nagli.

But on their way back to masjid, there were guns pointed on their bodies, and when they arrived to the said mosque, they gathered all the residents and let them all stay inside the mosque. Jam packed with more than one hundred civilians, sharing spot inside the mosque. The Ilaga oppressors are forcing Haji Usop to surrender their firearms but he firmly claims that they do not possess any firearm because their place is peaceful and conflicts are not tolerated. “…wala kaming mga armas dahil hindi naman kami nakikipag away. Kami ay mga magsasaka at nagnenegosyo ng kahoy” the words uttered by Haji Usop. The Ilaga were pushing and kept asking if who among them own firearms and surrender it to them immediately. “Tatay ni Kugaw Minalang taga Mulita” Haji Usop answered that the Father of Kugaw Minalang who lives in Mulita has firearms. The Ilaga ordered to go there and search for that man, they gave only (1) hour to go and get the man and if they fail to arrive in time, they will kill everyone inside the mosque. “Yun nga binigyan sya ng palugit na isang oras sabihin na natin na dapat alas syete ay nakabalik na sya at sinabi nila na humingi na kayo ng tulong sa inyong Diyos dahil uubusin naming kayo….” These are the words they said, scarring the people about what will happen. But Mulita is a bit far from Malini and at that time, there is a flash flood which made them fail to arrive at the said time.

“…lumipas na nga ang isang oras at hindi parin sya naka balik, binaril na nila ang tatay ko… tatlo ka tao ang nagtulong tulong sa tatay ko kaya hindi sya nakalaban at matapos doon ay hinagisan na nila ng Granada ang loob ng mosque at nandoon ako” Theng, with a shaky voice and teary eyes reminiscing how three armed men killed his poor father. He witnessed it in his bare eyes, how they threw grenade that killed many people including his father and mother. 

Same story was shared by Amalia who was a grandchild of Haji Usop, Fatima and Samir and Olivo Nagli who are siblings of Theng. According to memories of Amalia, she was too young at that time and barely remember that happenings. One thing that saved her from being killed was a lady who warned her to not go near the mosque. But she saw in her bare eyes how people were killed, until she heard her mother shouted “…nakarinig na kami ng malakas na putok ,ang tanging nasabi lang ng nanay ko ay “wala na ang tito pinatay na ng mga Ilaga”” stating that her uncle was killed by the Ilaga. Fatima Nagli shared her sentiments on remembering how his father decided to let go their resources to buy firearms for protection, seeing many people were killed helplessly by the Ilagas. She said “…kaya nasabi ng tatay ko na kapag daw ganito na ang nangyayare ibebenta na nya ang pinakamatanda nyang sasakyan ang Skaget at ipagbibili nya ng baril”. Fatima, who was that time is still young. She was emotional telling how their life shifted after the killings. It is still fresh in her mind how painful it is to see your own father finished by the armed men. “…ganoon nga ang nangyare nang mabaril na ang aking tatay (nalilito ako sa mga sasabihin ko) Kase masakit pa sa masakit ang nararamdaman ko marami na ding nag interview sa amin wala ring nangyayare oo ako nasasaktan ako, kung bakit ako nasasaktan ay dahil kami dati maganda ang aming pamumuhay dito pero nang mangyare ‘yon nagbago na lahat.”

Moreover, another fresh story was shared by Samir Nagli who was still an infant during the killings. He wasn’t able to see the faces of his parents because of this tragic massacre. According to his siblings, he was carried by her mother in that time inside the mosque. Her mother was killed while breastfeeding Samir and the only thing that Samir can remember is how warm his mother’s blood was. “Ako yung batang dumedede pa sa aking ina nang i-massacre ito sa aming lugar, ni-hindi ko man lang nasilayan o nakita ang mukha ng aking mga magulang.” same sad story was narrated by Olivo who was also in the arms of her mother when the killings were committed. According to him, he survived the massacre because of her sibling who covered him up while the shooting is happening.

Aside from the stories shared by the Nagli siblings, we also interviewed Taga Baluno who is also a survivor and witnessed how cruel is the death of her father and brothers. “…sa aking pamilya ang nanay ko ay hindi namatay.Y ung tatay ko, kuya ko at nakababata kong kapatid na dalawa ang namatay. Nabuwag ang aming pamilya.” Her voice was shaking while remembering how the massacre shattered her family. On the testimony made by Kadir Nanding, he clearly told the same scary story of how the Ilaga. In his recapitulation of the story, the Ilaga collected almost hundred f people inside the mosque while interrogating his uncle, which is Haji Usop together with the trusted people in Manili. Same story goes, that they are pushing them to surrender firearms and they kept on saying that don’t have one. With one hour given, and failure to give the firearms the Ilaga started throwing grenades and continues killings that finished the lives of many innocent men, women and children. “Paulit-ulit silang isnisiksik sa isang sulok ang mga tao hanggang sa nagrereklamo na ang bawat isa sakanila dahil naiinitan na. Nakiusap yung mga matatanda kung anong paraan ang pwede nilang gawin,ngunit wala na akong ibang paraan pa na alam, wika nung isang matanda. Nasaksihan pa namin na nagsisi-inuman ang mga Ilaga ng parang Coca-cola na kulay pula na iniinom ng bawat isa sa kanila” fresh from his mind how the Ilagas harshly treated the people inside the mosque while drinking softdrinks. He also said that some of the armed men of Ilagas are cursing the Moros inside the mosque for not being able to surrender firearms that they don’t even have. Kadir said “…isinisigaw nila ang “linti nga moros nga mga kawatan”. It was supported by the same sad story of Labaya Baliwal who lost her older brother and his two children. She only survived because of a resident who advised her to not go to the mosque. “magsi-takbo na kayo”, kami naman ay umaaligid sa gilid ng masjid, pinipilit nila kaming umalis doon dahil anjan na ang mga Ilaga sa gilid ng mosque” she narrated where on her to the mosque, the residents are shouting and furiously running away to the mosque.

What’s most heart breaking are the descriptions they used to explain and paint the image of how people were killed in the massacre. There were dead bodies everywhere. In their narration, some of their cousins lost their ears, some are injured severely, lost their legs and there are bodies of the children thrown and some are hanged on the trees. Theng also said that after they finished killing in the mosque, they later killed the people inside the primary school, almost ten died and buried together with the bodies in the mosque. After that, the sister of Theng, Bailanie whispered that they can all now stand because the Ilagas are not around anymore. Theng strongly pointed out names of officials who ordered the killings. “…umalis sila kasama ang ibang alagad ng batas, nasasabi kong alagad sila ng batas dahil suportado sila ng PC Control na kapanahunan ni President Marcos, hindi mangyayare ang mga yun kung hindi sa kagagawan ni President Marcos, dahil walang lider na hahayaan niyang may masaktan sa mga nasasakupan niya lalo pa’t sa mga Bangsamoro ngunit ginusto ng Presidente yun, sa panahong yun ang Chhief of Staff ay si Fidel V. Ramos at ang defence Minister ay si Enrile.” Theng said.

The Manili Massacre brought so many traumatic impacts to the survivors. The Ilaga killed not only their families but also their education, dream and hope of live a prosperous life. All of them experienced evacuating from one place to another, having nothing but themselves. They can still remember how the crawl in mud pools, how the swam to the flash flood, and how they faced every rough roads just to save themselves from death. Most of them weren’t able to study, the highest they reached was elementary making them harder to earn for their living. They do not have permanent address for years, still searching life in every place they arrive to. They build their own family telling the stories of grief, aches and pains. In their young age, they experienced a life they do not deserve. It took years before they finally came back to Manili, and they said that each part of the place reminds them of their hardships, their lost loved ones and the rest of the brutal killings of innocent people. Trust to their God, is the only weapon they used to get along with everything. As what they all said, that their God, guided them to survive because He won’t let His people suffer and diminish. That made them stronger, and to make their life as meaningful as possible by working hard to give their children the education they didn’t had, the chance to live a better life.

In the present, the respondents are now living peacefully in their once massacred placed Manili. Instilling the hope, positivity and lasting peace for the next generations. Justice is all they want, to give honor to life lost and buried in pity memories. When Theng Nagli returned to Manili, he run for a position as Brgy. Captain and as he won, he started doing projects that may help their village. Currently he is now living with his family in Manili. Amalia Nagli was married at the age of 13 due to the tragic massacre, however she’s doing her best to support her children. She has eight children that are now also creating their families and some are still studying in prestige institution though farming is their main source of income. Just like Amalia, Fatima is also blessed with eight children that are now settled and sustaining the living of their parents. Moreover, Taga Baluno has six children and she and her husband invest on their children’s knowledge in memorizing qur-an for they believe that they survived the massacre because of Allah S.W.T’s guidance. Samir who lost his parents in a very young age is now having nine children who are all in his side, helping to make for a living. Kadir and Olivo are both farmers in Manili, they have now their families and working to fulfil their duties. Labaya however is traumatized with what happened, he made sure that her children will not experience such. All her children are now settled and slowly building their families.



Different perspectives and different sacrifices--- one brutal tragedy. It may be forgotten by many, but for these people who lost their loved ones, who lost their hope, dream and future, everything is still fresh. It is a story forever to tell, it is written in the history that once or twice, power was used wrongfully that killed many of innocent people that lives in a simple and peaceful village of Manili. Despite the dark night, these people still see on positive views, that life is not that cruel, and the chance to live again is a blessing they all have to cherish. More than 70 lives finished, children’s tears and helpless people’s blood, when will the justice come?