Pata, Sulu

Spanish authorities conducted an expedition to Pata island in 1887, which became successful^[6] despite setbacks encountered by the troops, while inflicting casualties to the natives.^[7]

Pata island was once recorded being inhabited by most warlike Moro tribes in the Sulu Archipelago, and was visited by bandits and pirates for centuries.^[8]

It was said that Jikiri, a renegade follower of the Sultan of Sulu, Jamalul Kiram II, who turned into a Moro outlaw leader at the time of American occupation,^[9] spent much of his time somewhere in the present-day municipality, recruiting his men.^[8][9] Had been involved in piracy and murders since late 1907, he was killed on the smaller island of Patian (now part of the municipality)—reportedly his birth place—on July 4, 1909, ending a massive manhunt.^[9]

Later, conflicts in the Pata began as establishment of schools was opposed. In 1920, the Constabulary and the group of Hatib Sihaban had a clash, the said rebel leader was wounded. By mid-1923, a band of outlaws later killed three residents.^[10] Due to worsening peace situation, in May 1923, the Constabulary's two small detachments were combined by its Provisional Commander into a stronger one stationing on Kiput School House.^[8]

On the early morning of May 19,^[8] the same Moro band^[10] of some 300,^[8] under Moro Acbara,^[10][a] surrounded the school and attacked the detachment inside.^[8][10] An encounter left more than 20 dead^[a] and led the rest of the bandits to retreat; the Constabulary were left unharmed.^[8]

The incident led authorities to send an expeditionary force of 120 which conducted a march on the island on the 28th.^[8] In later military operations, the stronghold of the outlaws was attacked, and fierce fighting killed 45 of the rebels. The leaders escaped; Acbara was later killed by an arresting councilman; Hatib Sihaban and his followers surrendered.^[10]

By virtue of Executive Order No. 355, signed by President Carlos P. Garcia on August 26, 1959, twenty of 21 remaining municipal districts of then-undivided Sulu, including Pata, were converted into municipalities effective July 1, 1958.^[11]

On December 23, 1959, bandits raided two houses occupied by 23 persons, killing 19 of them in a massacre.^[12]

In 1981, two major incidents occurred^[13] involving the Moro National Liberation Front,^[13][14] which had seeking Muslim rule in the southern Philippines.^[15][16] On February 12, an attack by some 200 secessionists^[17] under Unad Musillan^[13] killed 119 officers and men^[b] of the Army's 31st Infantry Battalion, 1st Infantry Division,^[16] led by Lt. Col. Jacinto Sarudal,^[13] which had been deployed on the island, in the largest single death toll in an encounter between the Moro separatists and the military.^[18] The government retaliated^[14] by launching series of assault operations against Muslim rebels,^[19][17] causing deaths of hundreds of villagers.^[14] As a result, 14,000 inhabitants faced starvation due to their restricted movements;^[19] and in April, 2–3 thousand Muslims left the town.^[15]

On November 20, a 15-man^[20] Army platoon were ambushed by about 30 rebels in Barangay Cawayan.^[13] Ten of the soldiers^[13] including their leader 2Lt. Antonio Yap, as well as two of the attackers, were killed.^[20]

Pata is politically subdivided into 14 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.

• Andalan
• Daungdong
• Kamawi
• Kanjarang
• Kayawan
• Kiput
• Likud
• Luuk-tulay
• Niog-niog
• Patian
• Pisak-pisak
• Saimbangon (Poblacion)
• Sangkap
• Timuddas

Poverty Incidence of Pata