January 1, 1967–1979 2008–present (re-formed as 'New Ilaga')
Split to
Red God's Defenders
Headquarters
North Cotabato
Active regions
Mindanao, Philippines
Ideology
Folk Catholicism Christian nationalism Christian fundamentalism Traditional Catholicism Islamophobia
Opponents
Moro National Liberation Front (until 1979) Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters
Maute Group
Abu Sayyaf
Battles and wars
Moro conflict
The Ilagâ (Ilonggo Land Grabbers Association, acronym spelled out of ilaga, Ilonggo for rat[2]) is a Christian extremist[3][4] paramilitary group based in southern Philippines. The group is predominantly composed of Ilonggos,[5] embracing a form of Folk Catholicism that utilizes amulets and violence.
The group was founded in 1970, in a gathering in a restaurant in Cotabato City by the then leading politicians in Central Mindanao, Nicolas Dequiña the Mayor of Midsayap and his political peers, Mayor Wenceslao Dela Cerna of Alamada, Pacifico Dela Cerna of Libungan, Bonifacio Tejada of Mlang, Conrado Lemana of Tulunan, Jose Escribano of Tacurong, and Esteban Doruelo of Pigcawayan. This group is led by Feleciano Luces or better known as Commander Toothpick.
The group complemented the Philippine Constabulary as a militia force during the 1970s in southern Mindanao while fighting against Moro guerrillas during the Moro insurgency in the Philippines.[6]
The predominantly Hiligaynon-speaking migrants (from Panay Islands) in the province of Cotabato organized a private army called the Ilaga (Visayan for rat). To counter the terror of Ilaga attacks on Muslim civilians, members of the Moro elite organized their own heavily armed groups — the Blackshirts in Cotabato, and the Barracudas in Lanao — who responded in kind.[7]
From 1970 to 1971 Ilaga launched a series of 21 massacres that left 518 people dead, 184 injured, and 243 houses burned down.[8] The group committed one of its bloodiest acts with the Manili massacre on June 19, 1971, when the group killed 70[2]–79[9] Moro civilians (women, children and elders) inside a mosque.[10]
^ abMariveles, Julius D. "Mindanao: A memory of massacres". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
^Cite error: The named reference Ediger was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"Christian militia kills five Muslims in Philippines". Dawn. 3 November 2008. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
^Dikit Tiglao, Rigoberto (2019-01-05). "Only Three Scenarios for the Communist Insurgency". Manila Times.
^"Anti-Moro group resurfaces in NCotabato". philstar.com. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
^ https://www.c-r.org/accord/philippines%E2%80%93mindanao/mindanao-land-promise-1999. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
^"Mindanao: A memory of massacres". The PCIJ Blog. 2015-02-13. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2018-03-10.
^Cite error: The named reference Arguillas was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Marco Garrido (March 6, 2003). "The evolution of Philippine Muslim insurgency". Asia Times Online. Archived from the original on April 9, 2003. Retrieved September 14, 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
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killed in massacres by the Philippine Army, Philippine Constabulary, and the Ilaga pro-government paramilitary group. Victims were often taken to military...
"Kobuter" Tabuni member of Numbuk Telenggen's KKB group was captured in Ilaga District, Puncak, Central Papua. He was involved in the burning of PT Unggul...
1982) - Members of the Christian extremist paramilitary group known as the Ilaga killed 12 persons, allegedly to avenge the death of their leader, who they...
Philippines Bagani: A counter insurgency group operating in Cabanglasan. Ilaga (1971-1979): Christian extremist paramilitary group in the Southern Philippines...
official estimate as of mid-2022 was 116,279. The administrative centre is at Ilaga. The name of the regency is currently being changed[needs update] to Puncak...
a DHC-4T Turbo Caribou operating a cargo flight to Ilaga Airport, Indonesia, crashes in the Ilaga Pass; all four crew members are killed. November 28...
Kutawato Revolutionary Committee in fighting against government forces and the Ilaga paramilitary group in Central Mindanao. He was Military Chairman of Kutawato...
term Ilaga was introduced into the vocabulary."Ilaga" means "rat" but Muslims of North Cotabato called it "Ilonggo Land Grabbing Association".The Ilaga was...
new settlers to form militias, which were eventually nicknamed the Ilaga. The Ilaga were often associated with committed human rights abuses targeted at...
Global Information
Moro National Liberation Front (until 1979)
Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters