| Ilonggo Land Grabbers Association (Ilaga) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founder | Feliciano Luces, Sr[1] |
| Leaders | Norberto Manero, Jr. (formerly) |
| Dates of operation | January 1, 1967–1979 2008–present (re-formed as 'New Ilaga') |
| Split to | Red God's Defenders |
| Headquarters | North Cotabato |
| Active regions | Mindanao, Philippines |
| Ideology | Folk Catholicism Christian nationalism Christian fundamentalism Traditional Catholicism Islamophobia |
| Opponents |  Moro National Liberation Front (until 1979) Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters Abu Sayyaf |
| Battles and wars | Moro conflict |
The Ilagâ (Ilonggo Land Grabbers Association, acronym spelled out of ilaga, Ilonggo for rat[2]) is a Christian extremist[3][4] paramilitary group based in southern Philippines. The group is predominantly composed of Ilonggos,[5] embracing a form of Folk Catholicism that utilizes amulets and violence.
The group was founded in 1970, in a gathering in a restaurant in Cotabato City by the then leading politicians in Central Mindanao, Nicolas Dequiña the Mayor of Midsayap and his political peers, Mayor Wenceslao Dela Cerna of Alamada, Pacifico Dela Cerna of Libungan, Bonifacio Tejada of Mlang, Conrado Lemana of Tulunan, Jose Escribano of Tacurong, and Esteban Doruelo of Pigcawayan. This group is led by Feleciano Luces or better known as Commander Toothpick.
The group complemented the Philippine Constabulary as a militia force during the 1970s in southern Mindanao while fighting against Moro guerrillas during the Moro insurgency in the Philippines.[6]
The predominantly Hiligaynon-speaking migrants (from Panay Islands) in the province of Cotabato organized a private army called the Ilaga (Visayan for rat). To counter the terror of Ilaga attacks on Muslim civilians, members of the Moro elite organized their own heavily armed groups — the Blackshirts in Cotabato, and the Barracudas in Lanao — who responded in kind.[7]
From 1970 to 1971 Ilaga launched a series of 21 massacres that left 518 people dead, 184 injured, and 243 houses burned down.[8] The group committed one of its bloodiest acts with the Manili massacre on June 19, 1971, when the group killed 70[2]–79[9] Moro civilians (women, children and elders) inside a mosque.[10]
- ^ "UC Press E-Books Collection, 1982-2004". Retrieved 2022-12-29.
- ^ a b Mariveles, Julius D. "Mindanao: A memory of massacres". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Edigerwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Christian militia kills five Muslims in Philippines". Dawn. 3 November 2008. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
- ^ Dikit Tiglao, Rigoberto (2019-01-05). "Only Three Scenarios for the Communist Insurgency". Manila Times.
- ^ "Anti-Moro group resurfaces in NCotabato". philstar.com. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
- ^ https://www.c-r.org/accord/philippines%E2%80%93mindanao/mindanao-land-promise-1999.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "Mindanao: A memory of massacres". The PCIJ Blog. 2015-02-13. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2018-03-10.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Arguillaswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Marco Garrido (March 6, 2003). "The evolution of Philippine Muslim insurgency". Asia Times Online. Archived from the original on April 9, 2003. Retrieved September 14, 2008.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
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