The following is a list of massacres that have occurred in the Philippines.
Before 1900 NameDateLocationDeaths NotesChinese Massacre of 1603October 1603Manila, Captaincy General of the Philippines15,000–25,000Fearing an uprising by the large Chinese community in the Philippines, the Spanish colonists carried out the massacre, largely in the Manila area.Chinese Massacre of 16391639Luzon, Captaincy General of the Philippines17,000–22,000The Spanish and their Filipino allies carried out a large-scale massacre, in which 17,000 to 22,000 Chinese rebels died.Chinese Massacre of 16621662ManilaSeveral thousandCholera massacre9 October 1820Manila39A cholera epidemic sparked rumors that foreigners were poisoning the water supply, lead to a massacre that saw a mob of about 3,000 men kill Europeans, mostly French, and Chinese nationals."Massacre in Manila" Philippine Daily Inquirer. 8 July 2005. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
1900s NameDateLocationDeaths NotesBalangiga massacreBalangiga, Eastern Samar48"Philippine bells toll memory of massacre" The Victoria Advocate. April 8, 1998. Retrieved September 10, 2016."Bells in Wyoming toll memory of massacre" Boca Raton News. April 8, 1998. Retrieved September 10, 2016.(American soldiers)A mess area was attacked by hundreds of residents led by Valeriano Abanador during the Philippine-American War, marking the US Army's "worst defeat" since the Battle of Little Big Horn in 1876.Samar CampaignDecember 1901 to February 1902Samar2,000–50,000 (Filipino soldiers and civilians)Fritz, David L, Before "The Howling Wilderness": The Military Career of Jacob Heard Smith, Military Affairs, November–December (1979), p. 186Young, Kenneth Ray, "Guerrilla Warfare Revisited", Leyte Samar Studies, XI:1 (1977), pp. 21–31Many Filipino historians argue that the true "Balangiga massacre" was the subsequent American retaliation, which was marked by orders to turn the island of Samar into a "howling wilderness" and the killing of civilians as young as 10 years old who could carry a weapon.* , "In their desperation, the American soldiers turned arsonists burning whole towns in order to force guerrillas to the open. One such infamous case of extreme barbarity occurred in the town of Balangiga, Samar, in 1901–1902. ..." Although the original American report claimed that only 39 people were killed, estimates by some historians range from around 2,000 to roughly 50,000. Malabang incident Malabang, Lanao district, Moro Province 53 A band of Moros from the Rio Grande de Mindanao valley, led by a certain Datu Alis, perpetrated the attack.Moro Crater massacre (Battle of Bud Dajo) Jolo Island600 (figures varied)Battle between American soldiers and Moro rebels lasted for four days. Only seven were captured including three women and four children. Eighteen men escaped from the mountain.
1920s +NameDateLocationDeathsNotesCotabatoOctober 21 1921Cotabato12 (including the perpetrator)A man killed 11 family members with a knife before taking his own life.
Runs amuck; twelve killed, The Van Wert Daily Bulletin (October 22, 1921)
Moro kills family of 11, ends own life, Syracuse_Herald (October 23, 1921)
1930s NameDateLocationDeaths Notes Malita incident Malita, Davao 12 Moros were suspected as perpetrators of the attack. Thirteen others were wounded.Nagan killingsMay-6 June 1937Nagan, Cagayan13Believing his wife had been unfaithful, the husband killed 13 people over a two week period people before being surrounded by authorities on 6 June 1937.
1940s NameDateLocationDeaths Notes Pantingan River massacre (War crime) Bagac, Bataan 350–400 (all soldiers) Victims were killed in a mass execution by the Imperial Japanese Army while on their way from Bagac to Limay during the Bataan Death March."War Crimes in the Philippines during WWII (PDF)" Arthur D. Simons Center. Retrieved 05-13-2021.San Beda Massacres (War crime)July 1942Manila77 (Civilians)In 1946, Nena Ablan testified during the trial of Gen. Masaharu Homma that she witnessed inside the campus of San Beda College various tortures on Filipinos, such as physical assault using martial arts, sticks, and burning. She also testified some of these civilians were summarily executed by beheading.Dansalan Massacres (War crime)August 1942Dansalan, LanaoUnknown (Civilians)A company of Japanese soldiers went to the city and started burning houses. As the population panicked and resisted, the Japanese soldiers started bayoneting and shooting at them. Four Japanese soldiers died as well during the incident. Pagaeaw-aeaw Tragedy (War crime)21 October 1942 Banga, Aklan hundreds (civilians)Victims were killed when the Japanese entered the town Taban Massacre (War crime)17 August 1943 Alimodian, Iloilo 50 (civilians) A surprise attack on the town's market located in Barrio Taban. The victims were bayoneted and beheaded with sabers.Mambaling Massacre (War crime)28 July 1944Mambaling, Cebu CitySummary execution of 12 civilians (civilians)On 25 July 1944, Japanese soldiers on patrol were ambushed in Barrio Mambaling. Three days later with the help of Filipino collaborator, Antonio Racaza, the Kempeitai returned to Mambaling, and arrested Vicente Abadiano, Nazario Abadiano, Tereso Sanchez, Fidencio Delgado, and twenty other local male residents whom they suspected were guerrillas. All the men were tortured, and 12 were summarily executed by the Japanese soldiers and Filipino collaborators.Cordova Assault (War crime)19 August 1944Cordova, Cebu3 beheadings, townsfolk tortured (civilians)Kempeitai came on shore at Cordova on Mactan Island to round up suspected guerrillas. With the help of Filipino collaborators, they arrested the town mayor, Martin Francisco, and placed the men and women of the town into the Central School building. The women were made to strip, while the men were beaten with baseball bats. Three suspected guerrillas were beheaded by Cpl. Iwao Ishizaka, and Cpl. Muraki.Shinyō Maru massacre7 September 1944off Mindanao, Sulu Sea668In an attack on a Japanese convoy by the American submarine USS Paddle, 668 Allied prisoners of war were massacred by the Japanese or killed when their ship, the SS Shinyō Maru was sunk. Only 82 Americans survived and were later rescued.Massacre at Daanbantayan and Medellin9 October 1944 to 31 October 1944Daanbantayan and Medellin, Cebu multiple people (official number unknown)Massacre at Imus and Cavite City 9 October 1944 to 1 February 1945Imus and Cavite City, Cavitemultiple people (official number unknown)Davao Penal Colony Massacre 9 October 1944- 5 February 1945Davao Citymultiple people (official number unknown)Prisoners of war held at the prison were mistreated, starved and killed without cause or trial Agdangan Massacre 15 October 1944Barrio Agdangan, Baao, Camarines Sur77 Filipino civilians Japanese soldiers massacred 77 Filipino civilians after a Japanese courier was ambushed in the area.November North Cemetery Massacre (War crime)November 1944Manila North Cemetery27 (all soldiers)According to a Filipino-Japanese Fermin Yamasaki, 17 Filipino detainees from the Cortibarte Garrison were brought by Japanese soldiers, 3rd Lt.Tachibana, Sgt. Kataoka, and Pvt. 1st Class Akiyama, and lined up in a hole that was forced dug by 3 Filipinos. The 27 were one by one decapitated by the Japanese.Northern Cebu massacreNovember 1944Cebumore than 1000 Unarmed combatants were executed en masse without cause or trial Lipa executionsNovember 1944Lipa, Batangas 11Eleven US soldiers held as prisoners of war by the Japanese occupiers were tortured and killed without cause or trialDecember North Cemetery Massacre December 1944Manila North Cemeterymore than 2000 Massacre at Obando and Polo10 December 1944Obando and Polo, Bulacan~400 Palawan massacre (War crime) Puerto Princesa, Palawan 141 killed 9 wounded Japanese soldiers, fearing an American landing, herded some 150 Allied prisoners of war into air raid shelters and foxholes wherein most of them were burned alive; those who escaped were shot or bayoneted. Only eleven survived. Majority of the 34 implicated Japanese officers and men were later convicted yet eventually given prison sentences.Palawan, 1944: Dasmariñas Massacre 16 December 1944Dasmariñas, Cavite at least two Imus Massacre 16 December 1944victims taken from Imus and massacred in Manilaall the other male inhabitants of Imus Physicians as well as all the other male inhabitants of Imus in Cavite, were assembled and taken to the Kempetai Headquarters in ManilaPonson Island Massacre 29 December 1944Barrio Dapdap, Ponson, Camotes Islands, Cebu Conflicting reports
more than 300 killed, more than 50 wounded Civilians were assembled by the Japanese occupiers near the church, where they proceeded to shoot and bayonet them. It is widely believed that the entire population of the island was either killed or wounded in the incident San Fernando and San Juan Massacres 19 January 1945 San Fernando and San Juan, La Union several
150 from Barrio Negros, San Fernando 600 from Barrio Dalayap San Fernando 50 from Barrio Casilogan, San Juanmistreatment, massacre and rape of civilian women related to suspected guerillasMangkaeng massacreGuising Norte, Naguilian, La Union400 (all civilians)Japanese forces fired at the victims.San Jose Massacres 23 1945 January -18 March 1945 San Jose, Batangas 109 (Exhibit A of USA vs. Yamashita) 107 killed, 4 injuredThe looting and burning of the Taiwan Takosoku, a Japanese controlled warehouse on 23 January prompted the assembly men, women, and children residents at the town plaza by the Japanese occupiers on 27 January for questioning. Having not gotten the information they wanted, they proceeded to arrest the town mayor, the priest, chief of police and court clerk. This commenced the killings, disappearances and burning of property till March. As there was no one witness who saw the entirety of the events that happened, there could have been more victims.East Tagaytay Massacre29 January 1945Tagaytay, Cavite90 Filipino civilians (all civilians)As testified by farmer Miguel Ocampo, some 90 civilians were gathered by the Kempeitai at the Padilla residence. They were brought to a ravine not far from the house, and were one by one executed with bolo knives and thrown down the ravine. Ocampo and Elicero Nuestro survived the ordeal. Manila massacre (War crime) February to March 1945 Various places in Manila. At least 100,000 Series of massacres committed by the Imperial Japanese Army during the Battle of Manila.–70th anniversary of the Battle of Manila: "Briefer: Massacres in the Battle of Manila" Republic of the Philippines Presidential Museum and Library. 2015. Accessed 02-20-2016. –70th anniversary of the Battle of Manila: "Manila Holocaust: Massacre and Rape, by Dr. Benito J. Legarda Jr." Republic of the Philippines Presidential Museum and Library. 2015. Retrieved 05-13-2021. –"February 1945: The Rape of Manila" Inquirer.net. February 16, 2014. Retrieved 05-13-2021. –"Battlefield as Crime Scene: The Japanese Massacre in Manila" HistoryNet. December 2018. Retrieved 05-13-2021. – –Cuenca Massacres3 February - 11 March 1945Cuenca, BatangasConflicting reports
329 killed 317 killed, 7 injuredA series of killings and burning of properties committed by Japanese occupiers. As there were no one witness who have seen the entirety of the events that happened, there could have been more victims. Massacre of Squadron 77February 1945Malolos, Bulacan109