The 1974 Battle of Jolo: testimonial narratives of survivors and intra-Tausug relations

Abstract

Addressing the limitations of the dominant historiography of the Martial Law period (1972–1986) of the Philippines in Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago, this article provides testimonial narratives of witnesses and survivors of the 1974 Battle of Jolo as a counter-history. Tausug identity has been constructed and depicted by examining how the experiences of both Christian and Muslim Tausug shifted from cooperation to violence after this battle. The imposition of Martial Law and the 1974 Battle of Jolo not only caused displacement, property destruction, and casualties, it significantly contributed to the animosities between Christian and Muslim Tausugs that continue until the present.