NORTH COTABATO (Mindanao Examiner / Mar. 19, 2012) – Young Filipinos in the southern Philippines have banded to commemorate the 44th anniversary of the infamous “Jabidah” massacre.
The Jabidah massacre, also known as the “Corregidor” massacre, was an incident which occurred on the night of March 18, 1968 on the island of Corregidor in Luzon where members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines killed at least 28 Muslim recruits under their custody.
The recruits were trained to lead an invasion of Sabah in Malaysia which is being claimed by the Philippines, but the plan did not push through and the trainees were instead murdered by soldiers, except for one who survived the ordeal and exposed the massacre.
“We will not end up searching for justice for our fellows until marks of uncertainties to the martyred youth lives; we vow to carry-out our golden hours in taking the historical task of the youth movement in advancing a socialist society,” said Darwin Rey Morante, of the group Anakbayan in North Cotabato.
Al- Rashied Hashim spokesperson, Liga ng Kabataang Moro (League of Moro youth), said the historical contribution of the martyred youth will always be remembered, their sacrifices is the birth of the Moro resistance that is a glared response to the old-aged state oppression.
Moro refers to Muslim inhabitants of Mindanao.
“The Jabidah Massacre taught us to affirm with the armed struggle that is the supreme solution in the long-running tyranny in the country,” Hashim said, adding it will never be the end of the fight for a genuine recognition to their right to self-determination, but a start of a new stronger resistance from the past.
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