The Pata Island Massacre, who cares?

Excerpt from the book: “A Time to Heal – Bloodbath at Pata Island, Sulu” 

Now on sale!

February 12, 2025: It has been four decades and four years by now, the incident is totally banished in the dustbin history of the AFP, forgotten. Nobody can recall anymore the 119 souls who perished in Pata Island on the disastrous day of February 12, 1981, a day before Friday the 13th – being a day of infamy. I was then barely a year old second lieutenant (2LT) at that time, who did everything to save them. Before I wrote the story, I have kept silent about this incident through the years telling no one how it happened? Whenever asked, I had always shied away in narrating the heroism of my companions in 31st Infantry (Charge) Battalion, 1st Infantry (Tabak) Division in our efforts to rescue our besieged comrades. Many members from the battalion who were with me in Pata are dead by now. They have retired, remnants have been killed-in-action, or have died in sickness. For some reason, I am still alive, healthy (neither crippled nor war-shocked), and doing well as a retiree, something enough to thank God for. Maybe, one reason of my existence told me that I have to write the book about the massacre, during its silver anniversary in 2006, after all those years…

This is a story not only about the massacre but also the bravery displayed by the men of 31st IB on that fateful day.

FUZZY STORIES

Many years ago when MGEN ROMEO TOLENTINO’74 was the Chief-of-Staff of the Philippine Army, he had sponsored reunions for Sulu campaign veterans circa 1972-86, comprised especially of retired generals. The night was supposed to be full of singing but instead, the former generals held the microphone talking alternately and repeatedly about Patikul and Pata. I heard retired MGEN EMILIO LUGA JR ’54, who was the Division Commander of Tabak when Pata happened, saying that there was only one survivor.

When blogging in the Internet became my favorite past time at Fort Magsaysay, I joined the Philippine Defense Forum, among other fora. A blogger with a pseudonym “Peso” is asking, “What happened in Pata Island?” All discussants were groping in the dark. They even falsely identified the Philippine Marines as the victims, showing they really know nothing about the topic. So after a while, their discussion shifted to Patikul and Jabidah massacres, which they are more aware of and many stories have been written already about them.

I have used GOOGLE a lot. One time while into it, I tried to google the phrase “Pata Island Massacre”. I was indeed surprised many hits came out. The homepage of the Terrorism Research Center reports, “February 12, 1981: Pata Island Massacre. Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) insurgents killed 118 government troops on Pata Island after persuading them to lay down their arms”. The Deke’s Diary Special Operations.Com, which records anniversary dates of terrorism incidents all over the world, says: “February 12, 1981, Philippines. Pata Island Massacre, 118 unarmed government troops killed by MNLF”. The website on the Overview of the Moro Struggle through History by Prof Datu Amilusin Jumaani tells us, “In 1981… Marcos lifts martial law (but keeps his dictatorial powers) in a bid to win further legitimacy for his regime. In May, opposition leader Benigno Aguino, released from prison and allowed to go into exile in the US, visits Misuari in Jeddah and promises to support the Tripoli Agreement. MNLF forces kill 120 government soldiers in Pata Island, Jolo. In retaliation, more than 15,000 troops are sent to the island in a massive operation that infuriates Muslim local government officials.”

As Chairman of the Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Review Board, I was compelled to give another Battle Review Analysis (BRA) project to 18 students of Officer Preparatory Course (OPC) Class-50, who have been accused of cheating by plagiarism. This time, I made sure that they would not repeat the same offence anymore, by doing a “cut and paste” again. So, I decided to give them a local battle scene that could not be found and downloaded from the Internet. I required them, as a group work, to research on the topic: the Pata Island Massacre. Do you know what? They could not find any story about it anywhere, even in our own PA Historical Archives. Consequently, the group divided themselves by assigning people to go to the Headquarters of 31st IB at Sipocot, Camarines Sur; Headquarters of 1st Infantry Division in Jolo; HPA in Fort Bonifacio; GHQ Library at Camp Aguinaldo; and different newspaper agencies (As I can remember, the story never made the headlines nor the front pages. The news was only a small column in the inside pages and published several days after it happened. I could even recall that some newspapers even reported: 124 government troops killed. (From The Sydney Morning Herald, Thursday February 19, 1981) I suspect that there was still censorship at that time because Martial Law was only lifted a month earlier before the massacre happened. President Marcos was determined to picture a stable country to Pope John Paul II, who arrived in Manila on 08 Feb 81 and went on tour around the country. The Pope was one of the many reasons why Martial Law was lifted). Going back to my story, for the students to complete their BRA, they interviewed a retired 2LT from 24th IB, who based his story on hearsay. In the BRA, the students wrote and pointed out that the battalion commander was a Dental Officer, not an infantryman.

LEST WE FORGET!

LTC DENNIS VILLANUEVA ’86 (+) was killed-in-action in Jolo on 10 February 2005. Upon hearing the news that following day, an eerie feeling crept inside me and realized that the next day would be the anniversary of the Pata massacre!

Pata is an island. It is the second largest island in the Sulu archipelago and only accessible by watercraft. The island served as one of the immediate sanctuary of the MLNF terrorists whenever they met stiff resistance from government forces in the mainland.

MARCHING ORDERS!

In late 1980, there was an intelligence report that members of Civilian Home Defense Force (CHDF) and Special Para-Military Force (SPMF) at Pata were selling their government-issued firearms to a terrorist group.

By January 1981, COL RODOLFO CANIESO ’56, who was the Commanding Officer of 3/1 Brigade, opted to check the report on gunrunning and to account all firearms in Pata Island. The 31st IB, which was due for battalion retraining in Luzon, was tapped for this mission. For the battalion, this would be their last mission before they leave for Fort Magsaysay where the retraining would be held. COL CANIESO assured us by saying, “This will only be just like a picnic!”

At the time the mission was handed down, 31st IB was already under LTC JACINTO SARDUAL (+). He took over on 16 Dec 80 from LTC DANILO OLAY ’65 (+) who was due for the Command and General Staff Course (CGSC) schooling in Australia. On that same month, the new Battalion Commander made me Company Commander of Alfa Company, the first one amongst my classmates to be leading a company.

Accordingly, a Task Force (TF) was created, composed of: Bravo Company under 1LT OSCAR DE VERA, Hotel (P) Company under 1LT PEDRO CAUAN (+) and Alfa Company under me. The turn to be Task Force (TF) Commander fell on 1LT DE VERA. The TF landed on the west side of Pata Island on 05 February 1981 with instructions to proceed eastward.

Our task in Pata was to support the elements of the Special Forces [12Coy, HDFG(A), SWBde]. They would record and register all firearms of the CHDF (Civilian Home Defense Force) and SPMF (Special Para-Military Force). Our rule of engagement was, “not to shoot unless fired upon”. Nonetheless, news in the island had spread already like wildfire that people with firearms would be disarmed; and the firearms registrations were only a ploy.

Echo Company, under 2LT JOEL CAÑARES (+), which was the Training Company of the battalion, was chosen over the more seasoned companies – Charlie and Delta, to serve as security and escort of the Command Group. The trip to Pata would serve as Test Mission for the newly assigned privates, trainees and draftees to the battalion. The Command Group with Echo Company would only be staying safe anyway behind the Task Force. Ultimately on the 7th day, the whole battalion would be pulling out from the island – as easy as it sounds!

SURVIVORS’ ACCOUNT

MSg Edralin Arellano, one of the three survivors, happened coincidentally to be one of my  my men at the 7th Signal Battalion in Fort Magsaysay in 2002. During my stint as his Battalion Commander, I never asked him about Pata. I did not like to hear anymore the trauma he suffered. It was only during the time when I decided to write about the incident that I returned and asked him about some details. We compared notes. According to him, LTC SARDUALand his staff were already making their farewell call on the Barangay officials when they were deceived. A CHDF Commander took LTC SARDUAL surreptitiously as hostage. I learned later that the CHDF Commander was Unad Musillan. He was with MNLF/SPMF Commander Jimang Butoh. The latter was questioning LTC SARDUAL about the intentions and presence of soldiers in the island. In the process of trying to pacify and justify their presence, LTC SARDUAL relayed to them that they meant no harm. In order to prove his intentions and as a sign of good gesture, he would order his men to remove their magazines and empty their rifles. When the order was given, the privates, trainees and draftees, while still in formation, obeyed so. Those old-timers with higher ranks were very suspicious and distrustful.

Soon after the order was given but not before everyone could unload their rifles, an intense volume of gunfire came from every direction killing most of the members of the outfit instantaneously. Msg Arellano, who was still a Trainee, leaped instantly into the pit near the mosque to take cover. In the process, he got hit at his left thigh and shoulder. Many bodies fell on top of him as he played dead. He smelled gasoline. After almost like an eternity, he sensed later the enemy scampering away when mortar firing started dropping near their location.

But before the “peace talk”, 2LT CAÑARES disengaged from the group together with his radioman and some of his Assistant Instructors. He was able to radio us what was brewing. His pack together with those soldiers who were late in removing their magazines put up a fight. They were able to inflict casualties from the enemy.

STANDING TO ITS MOTTO & BATTLECRY

At the time the massacre was happening around 0900H, the Task Force was about to move out from vicinity Timudas (GC 004443) by 3 temper boats belonging to  the Seaborne Brigade (these temper boats were wooden Viking-like fishing boats converted into a mini “warships” equipped with caliber .50 and .30 machineguns. Each of them had pumpboats, being pulled by ropes, used for deployment of passengers ashore. The Army’s Seaborne Brigade was under COL JAIME ECHEVERRIA ’57. Our group would be heading vicinity Likud (GC 986407) for the scheduled rendezvous with our Command Group, as our seven-day mission would be terminated at 1200H. We were about to leave already…

Before departing Timudas, 2LT EMMANUEL GONGORA, my Deputy/Ex-O who was serving as platoon leader under me, heard over our PRC 77 radio the anxiety of 2LTCAÑARES regarding disputes between the Command Group and the CHDF/SPMF. Suddenly, radio transmission was cut off. After several attempts of calling back 2LTCAÑARES, my Platoon Sergeant Peñera Paji, with his sullen face blurted, “Oh my god, they are all dead!” I was quick to retort and could not imagine, “That’s not possible! How can you kill them all, at an instant?”

I suggested reinforcing by land but the TF Commander opted to go by sea. He said that the enemy might be waiting to ambush us and it would take us longer to walk 5 to 7 kms in tactical condition in unfamiliar terrain. For me, I was thinking that we could fight better on soil rather than coming from the sea.

Troops were shuttled by pumpboats in boarding the 3 temper boats, one temper per company. Along the way, radioman Private Damaso Calayan fell overboard due to violent waves. In order to save himself and his radio, he let go his rifle losing it to the deep blue sea. At about 1200H with vicinity Likud in sight, I was tasked to lead the expeditionary forces composed of 4 pumpboats with 8-person capacity load each to go ashore; but as we went nearer, we were fired upon by undetermined number of enemy hiding behind barricades. The situation made us sail back to the sea; and as we moved sideways, they kept on blocking our approach. Surveying the area, I decided to unload the troops on a small piece of corral island more than 300 meters away from the beachhead. It was still high tide. COL CANIESO, who was able to reach immediately the scene by speedboat coming from nearby Patian Island, took over in directing the troops and advised us by megaphone to assault simultaneously but to wait for low tide, remaining troops on board the tempers were hauled down to the corrals. The enemy was firing on us. We planned for a Marine-type offensive attack.

When the water was ebbing, the small corral island became bigger and bigger and the gap closer to the beachhead. At 1500H, we heard COL CANIESOshouting through his megaphone, “31st this is the right time!” The tide had turned to its minimum height but we could still see water infront of us. After ten rounds of 60mm mortar bombardment of the proposed entry site by our mortar squad together along with us at the corrals, Alfa Company on the left and Hotel Company at the right facing the beachhead prepared for attack. Bravo Company would be staying behind as Reserve. Somebody at the back shouted our battlecry, “CHARGE!” but everybody reacted with hesitations. We all knew death was upon us! It would be suicide! As I looked behind, all eyes were on me. Thinking, we had to hurry up! I do not know until now what came into me but my prayers at that moment were total submission to God. I kept on praying the Act of Contrition over and over again, asking forgiveness for my sins, as we ran in intermittent zigzag towards the beachhead. Private First Class (PFC) Mariano Reyes, who was near me, was very protective. He kept on pulling me down every time he heard bullets whizzing. I scolded him to stop doing so because I was starting to lose my nerve. Whenever I happened to look back, I could see my men falling down to the ground. I pleaded very deeply from Him to protect them. I did not know that my men were  . . . (to be continued)

WHEN YOU BUY THIS BOOK, “A TIME TO HEAL” AND KNOW THE COMPLETE STORY!

FOR SALE AT THE AFP MUSEUM, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City (Telephone number: +632 8912 7664)