I know of a similar story. I am Mindanao- born and bred by the way, but my parents are from Pangasinan and grandparents are from different Luzon and Visayas provinces.
Without going to details, I'll tell of an Ilocano, a scion of a leading justice, went to Mindanao, same thing cultivated the land and some people, native Muslims murdered him.
His son said," pinakain mo sila, binigyan mo ng trabaho, parang kapatid na ang trato ng tatay ko, ganun pa ginawa!" Then he apologized and asked if I were a Muslim.
Well, the answer is simple, it was plain murder. But let us look deeper. I must warn though that murder is murder. This is just to elucidate the deeper issues.
Similar to the Jews claiming Israel, the Palestinians claiming their own. Fact is, our Muslim brothers own the land in Mindanao. Seems preposterous but true. Same rationale why we are claiming Sabah. It was a sultanate under the Sultanate of SULU.
It is their land, their ancestral land. But it won't do that they will murder, or forcefully drive the present owners. We have a legitimate existing gov't, and all things must be done thru law.
Some people from Luzon bought the land from the muslim natives. Some muslims want it back, without paying. That is not right.
But really, some people from Luzon also grabbed the land, and fooled the uneducated muslims to give up their land. remember the first entry of canned sardines? A bagful of sardinas would buy a 13 hectare land, the illiterate and wide-eyed muslim didnt know more.
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Lest others may mistake us, we use Muslims only because that is the way we used to refer to our brothers down south, but we know they are people like you and me. funny we dont address ourselves as Kristiyano, but refer to each other by our province, as Ilocano, Pangasinan, Bisaya etc.
As we all know Muslim is Islam, like Christians is to Catholic and the different Protestant denominations. we should refer to them more as Maranaos, or Tausugs etc, much as the natives of the north are Itawis, Kalinga etc.
My brother was so guilt ridden about the possibility that we got our land via force or cunning, that he sold his part and bought a subdivision lot in the city. I kept my own, though it is as good as sold, because the tenants have been there for so long, and yes they are muslims, and practically they dont give my share of the harvest anymore. I plan to give them the title soon. Mine is not for guilt but as a goodwill and help, i know the family of the tenants and I just want them to have it.
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