The Spanish – Moro Wars between Spanish colonial authorities and the indigenous Sultanates of the Moro peoples , ( the Sultanate of Sulu , Confederation of sultanates in Lanao and Sultanate of Maguindanao ) further escalated tensions between the Christian and Muslim groups of the country . The Moros fought in the Moro Rebellion against the Americans during which Americans massacred Moro women and children at the Moro Crater massacre , against the Japanese in World War II , and are waging an insurgency against the Philippines . The pro-Philippine government Ilaga militia , composed of Catholic and other Christian settlers on Moro land in Mindanao , were known for their atrocities and massacres against Moro civilians and their bloodiest attack happened in June 1971 when they slaughtered 65 Moro civilians at a Mosque during the Manili massacre . On 24 September 1974 , in the Malisbong massacre the Armed Forces of the Philippines slaughtered about 1,500 Moro Muslim civilians who were praying at a Mosque in addition to mass raping Moro girls who had been taken aboard a boat
Manili massacre
Manili massacre
Persecution of Muslims