On the other hand, the same story was shared by Omar Guianda Guiaman. There were explosions and they collected all the people and put them in different vessels. Luckily, he was also on the vessel where the women were held because he was young too at that time. “…isang gabi lang kami doon sa naval at nasa kalagitnaan kami ng karagatan, ang sabi nila sa amin ay dadalhin nila kami sa Manila. Hindi nila natupad yun, ipinunta nila kami sa Kulung-kulung.” They were promised to be in the vessel because they will go to Manila, but suddenly they were brought to Kulung-kulung. On their way, he saw a lot of people killed, some were thrown directly to the ocean. Most of them were those who tried to escape and fight the militaries. According to Omar, there were two vessels, it was named Mactan and Mindoro, and he was held in Mindoro vessel but as soon as they were freed, he escaped and ran in the forest to where the other survivors went. The life after escaping was hard knowing that there is no source of income and he is still young. During the interview, he said that he can still remember some names of the military leader during that time, they were Lieutenant Soriano, Lieutenant Vasco, Lieutenant Paalam and Captain Baimo. “…yung dalawang sundalo lang ang nanakit sa akin” he said, that he was abused by the military leaders while they were inside the Mindoro vessel.

Wareb Llana also shared his similar story to where he can remember the bombs and explosion when the vessel arrived. Just like Kamad and Omar, Wareb was young and joined the women in the vessel. Wareb said that the men were brought inside the mosque in Malisbong and they were killed there, though he didn’t see it. “At nang mga sandaling kunin na ang mga kababaihan ay isinakay kami sa barge patungo sa Naval at tatlong barge ang naghakot sa amin. Ang pangalan ng Naval na iyon ay 93 Mindoro Occidental at ng dumating kami sa Naval ay mga hating gabi na kami natapos sa paghahakot.” Wareb seconded the testimony that they were brought inside the Mindoro vessel and others were on the separate vessel. Wareb saw letters “NP'' written on the arms of the armed men who held the women and the children. During that night they didn't have any idea where the vessel would bring them until they knew that they were now in Kulung-kulung and stayed there for months.

“Sobrang hirap ng pinagdaanan namin ng mga sandaling yun pinag sisipa kami ng mga sundalo dahil pinipilit nila kaming ipasakay sa vessel nang gabing iyon at dahil doon ang tsenilas ng karamihan saamin ay naiwan at nawala ang hindi lng nila iniiwan ay ung mga dala dala nilang sako na laman ang kanilang mga gamit wala silang bag na dinala tanging sako ln gang pinaglagyan nila ng kanilang gamit dahil mas madaling bitbitin ang sako” Wareb narrates that they were forced to ride the vessels, as they rush in there, some of them forget their slippers and so they stand barefooted in the vessel which is very hot. Some removed their shirts and jeans to cover their feet or stood there to atleast ease the hotness. After the that, when we finally arrived at Kulung-kulung, many children of age six (6) to twelve (12) died because of hunger, thirst and hotness. “At nang nakababa na kami sa Kulong-kulong ay ung mga batang may edad na simula sa anim na buwan taong gulang hanggang labindalawang taong gulang hindi umabot ng tatlong araw simula ng dumating kami sa kulong kulong ay hindi na sila naka survived at namatay.” Wareb said.

Just like others, Wareb has nothing to eat other than the biscuits that the military gave and the foods they saved.  After that, they were asked to choose whether to go in Libua or stay in Kulung-kulung, nevertheless both places were controlled by the militaries. It was raining so hard and they advised us to find a place to cover from the rain and we did. “…isang matadang dalaga na pakunwaring nag papaulan at pinag sabihan siya ng isang sundalo na sumilong ngunit hindi siya sumilong dahil may intensyon pala siyang mag suicide meron pala syang tinatagong kutsilyo sa kanyang malong paunti unti siyang lumalapit sa lider ng mga sundalo at nang medyo malapit na ito ay agad nyang sinaksak ang sundalo ngunit naka depensa ang sundalo at nadaplisan lang siya, intensyon talaga nang matandang babae ay sa puso siya saksakin, sa kasamaang palad pinagbabaril din nila ang matandang babae hanggang sa mamatay ito.” As he shares the story of the old woman who tried to kill one of the military men through a knife, but she failed and the military killed her brutally. We are the one who buried her, we have no other tool other than wood for digging. Not just her but all the people died along the way were buried there, there were two or more bodies in one hole.

We don’t have freedom, they are always on our side. If we want to buy or get something we are escorted by the military. They have time shifting, and gunshots are the signs that they need to shift. “…andyan pa rin sila sa paligid naming nagpapalitan sila ang ginagawa nilang orasan ay palatandaan na magpapalitan na sila ay nag papaputok sila'' he said.  Moreover, Wareb disagreed on the rumors that the women were raped by the military men. There were some women who were married to military men in their choice and not forced.

In line with this, Napisa L. Abdul was married to a military man named Loloy Retasa who was a “draftee” at that time, they had a son named Misuari, Napisa said that her husband Loloy was a good man and is not one of the military men involved in the massacre. “Mabait din hindi naman nya ako nasasaktan, ngunit yon lang noong nag schooling na siya hindi na siya bumalik” Napisa said. However, when Loloy returned to school, they lost contact and from that point, Napisa raised their child alone.” 15th IB man ang pumasok dito. Hindi natin masabi na naka sali ba sya or hindi. Napabilang din yun siya kasi noong nangyari ang massacre sila ang pumalit, 19 IB ang nag combined 19, 16 at 15.” As he tells that Loloy is not involved in the massacre. As she narrates her experience in the massacre, the military told them to gather for a meeting, but after they gathered they held them inside a vessel and stayed there for three (3) days. According to Napisa, there was a lady who have given birth inside the Mindoro Vessel and named her child “Mindoro”. After the incident, they burnt the houses and Napisa built a home for Misuari out of the remains from the burnt houses. She added that being married to Loloy brought no good. i“Naghahanap buhay na lang din. Nang masunog ang mga kabahayan, bawat isa sa amin ay naghanap ng pako para maipako sa gagawin na bahay ulit.”  Napisa also added that she is not the only woman there who was married to a military man, Tima who is a friend of hers was married to Kaloy, a military man. Suddenly, both Loloy and Kaloy are dead and they don’t have any connection with their families. Life was hard for Napisa, “…lahat ng mga kinuha nilang gamit, isinakay nila sa pump boat. At dinala doon sa Maitum.” Saying that the military men stole everything to them. She believed that their mayor is the host who takes care of the bad men. “…ang masama pa noon ay si Mayor pa ang pinag-iisipan na siya ang may hawak sa mga masasamang sundalo na yun. Umuwi yung mga tao dito na walang nakitang alagang hayop ni-isa. Kahit bahay ay walang natira.” She said, all of their animals for living, houses and even coconut trees in the forest were burnt by these men.

Moreover, we were able to interview Enrique Lison Sr. who is a retired military man, “Naasign ako dito noong 1976 July 16 Charlie Company 1st Platoon nagduduty ako hanggang 1979 tapos huminto ako mag sundalo. At noong 1977 kami na naman Sept 21 ikinasal ng misis ko, 1977 Sept 21 anibersaryo ng martial law”. He said that he was married to Muslim woman in Malisbong. Though he is a military man, he courted and married his wife in a right and traditional way. Enrique that time is also a drafty with very few salary, that is why he decided to retire and just focus on his family. “Dumaan kami ng draftee. After 2 years tapos binigyan kami ng recommendation papunta sa Cebu isang taon. 6 months man yun, dalawang beses ako nag extend tapos sinabi ko hindi na ako mag report doon sa Cebu sa Lebak na lang kasi sa Lebak man ‘yung battalion namin, doon na lang ako kukuha ng sweldo ko hindi ko na pinuntahan doon kasi pinanganak na yung panganay ko eh July 8, 1978” he tells how he retired in the service. Even as a military man, he testified that the Malisbong massacre was real and it happened in 1974 were many lives were killed in the mosque and the other people were held for long time. “Oo, talagang nangyari ‘yun” he said. 

Lastly, Ebok Mangakoy shared her experiences during the massacre. “Ang nangyari sa amin noong panahon ng massacre ay nag-surrender kami. Tatlong araw noon ang Ramadhan noong kami ay kinanyon sa bandang alasingko ng hapon sa Malisbong, magdamag kaming kinanyon. Narating namin ang bundok ng Malisbong sa kakatakbo namin para tumakas. Bale pinuntahan kami ng isang kagawad at sinabihang mag-surrender dahil makakauwi din daw kami pagkahapon” she narrated. It was three days before the Ramadhan when they heard canyon shots and they were scared. They ran away and reached the forest to where a kagawad named Makaluntak told them to surrender because they will be safe and returned by afternoon.  They were held for almost thirteen-days with no comfortable places and food. The military men told the women to prepare food for the men but after they cooked, they did not gave it to the the men and ate them alone instead.  She said that they were separated from the men, they were inside the vessel and the men were held in the mosque owned by Kagi Kamsa. “…kayong mga kababaihan ay sumakay sa Naval. Mga bandang alasingko at magdamag kaming nasa laot. At ‘yung mga kalalakihan ay ikinulung na sa mosque. Ang number nung Naval na nasakyan ko ay 70” as she remembered how they were separated and she was held in the Naval number 70.  Ebok and other women was transferred to Kulung-kulung and stayed there for months. “Hindi lang ilang buwan ang pananatili namin sa Kulung-kulung”. She cooked rice using the water from the ocean but they weren’t able to eat because of its saltiness, out of hunger they were given on biscuits for survival.

“Tanging mga batang lalaki lang ang mayroon kami walang binata o matanda. Ang nakauwi lang na mga kalalakihan galing sa mosque ay tanging mga matatanda lamang. Pinaglakad lang sila ng mga sundalo noong pauwiin sila galing mosque, noong nakikita na namin silang parating na ay makikita mo sa mga mata ng mga babaeng naiwan ng asawa ang sabik, ngunit napawi ang lahat dahil tangging mga matatanda lamang ang nakauwi at hindi kasama ang aming mga asawa” she was teary eyed when he said that only the children were managed to return from the mosque and the teenagers and adults were held there with no clue if they were massacred. Ebok’s husband wasn’t able to return and that is the last time she saw her husband.  Ebok also added that there were no raped women, but they treated them brutally by letting the endure the hotness of the Naval and the sun. “…pero ‘yung nilagyan nila sa amin ay nabibilad kami ng araw. Sa ibaba noon ay ‘yung tulugan ng mga sundalo at may mga kasama silang kalabaw, baka at kambing. Kami naman ang nasa itaas noon at bakal ‘yung nalagyan namin kaya’t sobrang init at nabibilad pa kami.” Ebok said. When they asked the military men about their intention for doing this, they said that they were looking for “blackshirt” members which they do not belong, including the husband of Ebok. In their stay in Kulung-kulung, they were surrounded by armed men and every action they do must be permitted. But fresh in her memories is how other women were killed by these men when they resist or urge to escape.

According to our respondents, life was so hard especially that all of their houses and families were shattered. They struggled in searching for sources, most of them are farming in the land that they do not own and doing “Kupras' ' out of coconut trees. They transferred from one place to another and were still stuck in the dark experiences of both men and women in the Malisbong Massacre. For them, it is justice that they wish for all the people killed, family members and loved ones.

The Malisbong Masjid Massacre, also called the Palimbang Massacre, was the mass murder of Muslim Moros by units of the Philippine Military on September 24, 1974, in the coastal village of Malisbong in Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat, Mindanao. Accounts compiled by the Moro Women's Center in General Santos City state that 1,500 male Moros aged 11–70 were killed inside a mosque, 3,000 women and children aged 9–60 were detained – with the women being raped – and that 300 houses were razed by government forces. The massacre occurred two years after Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law in September 1972.



The massacre started after the first four days on the feast of Ramadan when members of the Philippine Army arrived and captured barangay officials along with 1,000 other Muslims. For more than a month, the military murdered residents of the area. Testimonies show that victims were made to strip and dig their own graves before being killed by gunshot.

Bangsamoro Republik Moro National Liberation Front Hadji Hamsa Tacbil Mosque in Malisbong, Palimbang, Province of Sultan Kudarat... This old mosque was constructed and owned by the late Hadji Hamsa Tacbil, a former strong MNLF finance supporter. Tacbil mosque is a place where more than one thousand Muslims civilians were massacred by the Philippine army’s 15th 1B infantry battalion on 24 september 1974 under the regime of then President Ferdinand E. Marcos. 

With a compliment by Commander Tuan Bazar G Tacbil (MNLF) and Tacbil Family.