Episode 3: Repudiating the Ampatuans

In a series of incidents that began in mid-1971, the Ampatuans were virtually driven out of most of their home municipality, Ampatuan, by armed Christian bands. Although Nacionalistas and strong supporters of Marcos, the Ampatuan clan suffered significant losses during this period. The Ampatuan datus were widely regarded as the most abusive toward Christian settlers. They reportedly sold a great deal of forested land to Christian homesteaders, allowed them to clear it, then drove them away. They were said to have extorted rice and money from Christian farmers, ruling their municipality as a private fief. Muslim farmers reportedly fared little better than their Christian counterparts and were taxed and fined excessively, in 1971, Christian victims of the Ampatuans retaliated. The Ampatuans responded in force and the municipality became a battle zone for some months. As in Northeast Cotabato, however, it was the ordinary unarmed Muslims of Ampatuan municipality who suffered most at the hands of Christian bands.