LANAO DEL SUR, Philippines – Every May, the town of Bayang in Lanao del Sur remembers “Padang Karbala,” the two-day battle in 1902 that marked the opening chapter of the Moro-American war and left hundreds of Meranaw fighters dead on the shores of Lake Lanao.

More than a century later, the anniversary has become more than a remembrance of colonial violence; for many in the Bangsamoro, it is also a measure of how far the peace process in the Muslim majority region has yet to go in confronting historical injustice, political exclusion and the unfinished demands of Moro self-determination.

As the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) prepares for its first parliamentary regional elections this September, questions over representation, transitional justice and historical memory continue to shadow the region’s transition to self-rule.

Historical hangover

The Battle of Bayang, also known as Padang Karbala, took place on May 2-3, 1902, in Bayang, Lanao del Sur. Remembered as the “fiercest and bloodiest battle” in American colonial history in the Philippines, it marked the beginning of the Moro-American war from 1902 to 1915.

FORT Pandapatan named after the Sultan of Bayang in Lanao del Sur. Abdul Hafiz Malawani/Rappler

Although Mindanao was never fully colonized by Spain, it was included in the 1898 Spanish-American peace treaty that transferred control of the Philippines to the United States.

American forces later pushed military expeditions into Moro territories under programs meant to “civilize” communities, disregarding long-standing Moro resistance against foreign rule.

Several guerrilla attacks by Bayang fighters enraged American forces and exhausted diplomatic efforts with the Sultan of Bayang.

In retaliation, the 27th Infantry Regiment led by Colonel Frank Baldwin marched to Lake Lanao to confront the Sultan of Bayang in a battle that lasted two days. It marked their first major armed engagement with the Moros.

The battle was named Padang Karbala after the Battle of Karbala in Iraq in 680 CE – the martyrdom of Prophet Muhammad’s grandson Hussayn against his enemies. The remains of hundreds of Meranaw men sprawled on the sacred grounds of Bayang at Fort Pandapatan.

Commemoration

Last May 2, Padang Karbala was commemorated on its 124th anniversary in the municipality of Bayang where, each year, the heroic defense of Meranaw guerrillas against colonial rulers is remembered through activities such as reenactments.

“The lessons of Padang Karbala should not only be remembered, but also lived,” Meranaw youth leader Abdul Asmana Umpat told Rappler.

Many Meranaws take great pride in Padang Karbala, particularly the people of Bayang as direct descendants. But the weight of preserving that legacy remains heavy for communities that continue to grapple with the consequences of colonial rule.

For Umpat, who grew up in Bayang, resistance did not end with the battle. Promoting Moro consciousness, he said, also means embracing social responsibility.

“Sadly, the values of our forefathers are not immortalized, as colonial mentality prevailed over our shared identity,” he emphasized.

The war against American occupation ended in 1915, paving the way for integration policies that pushed Moros to identify as Filipinos before the Philippines gained full independence in 1946.

Symbolic justice

Over the decades, Muslims in Mindanao, once the majority, became the minority. A renewed Moro resistance movement in 1972 later reshaped the struggle for self-rule and led to a series of peace agreements with the Philippine government.

Twelve years after the signing of the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, efforts toward transitional justice began in 2021. Only in 2026 was a law passed addressing historical injustices dating back to the American colonial period.

“The peace process in Muslim Mindanao advances without true healing,” said Mindanao State University history professor Tirmizy Abdullah.

Addressing atrocities, Abdullah explained, requires swift institutional reforms, truth-seeking, reparations and guarantees of non-recurrence.

HISTORY THOUGHTS. Mindanao State University history professor Tirmizy Abdullah (right) shares his thoughts about the Battle of Bayang which took place over a century ago in Lanao del Sur. Abdul Hafiz Malawani/Rappler

The Bangsamoro Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Commission was established last January, nearly seven months before the parliamentary elections, as the transition period nears its end.

“Ironically, our local leaders turned into self-serving politicians and placed power above all else,” said Umpat.

Many of the same figures are now seeking parliamentary seats under entrenched political dynasties. Across the Bangsamoro region, calls for transformational leaders capable of delivering justice and dignity continue to rise from the grassroots.

Decades of resistance against colonial and authoritarian rule cost thousands of lives, while unresolved injustices created lasting intergenerational wounds.

From foreign invasions, compounded by later integration policies under the Philippine government, the Moro struggle for genuine autonomy has endured – and so too has the demand for meaningful and dignified justice. – Rappler.com