The Sandugo of Mangabo: A Ritual Oath Between Warrior and Friar

12 November 2025 Feature | Surigao Historical Society | Local History
 

The Crocodile's Vow: An Oath Forged in Blood

The year is 1631, and the Spanish colonial hold on Mindanao's eastern seaboard—the vast territory known as Caraga—was fracturing. Fueled by nativist sentiments and the broader anti-Spanish jihad supported by powerful figures like Sultan Kudarat, local Caragan warriors had successfully launched a furious rebellion.

In the wake of the stunning destruction of the formidable Fort San Jose in Tandag, the violence spread swiftly, with rebels attacking mission outposts and killing missionaries. Amidst this chaos, the figure of Chief Mangabo, famously dubbed the "crocodile of Tago" for his imposing size, terrifying temper, and tremendous strength, rose to prominence.

Mangabo’s forces, already responsible for the killing of Fray de San Fulgencio in Bacuag, held captive the young missionary Fray Lorenzo de San Facundo. The priest, fearing he would be sacrificed to native deities, was miraculously spared by the powerful chieftain.

What followed next was one of the most bizarre and poignant rituals recorded during the bloody conflict of the 17th century. Mangabo, wishing to seal an inviolate friendship with Fray Lorenzo, prepared to perform the ancient oath known as the Sandugo.

The Execrable and Ridiculous Oath

The ceremony was nothing short of theatrical. Mangabo demanded a varalao (a type of dagger). He proceeded to loosen breeches made from embroidered crimson damask cloth that had been stolen from the Tandag convent, underscoring the revolutionary setting of the ritual.

Using the dagger, Mangabo wounded himself twice below the stomach, drawing his own blood. He then instructed his son, Zancalan, to capture this blood in a dish that already contained wine.

Standing before the captive friar, Mangabo began to invoke his diwatas (deities) with extravagant howlings. He pronounced a powerful curse upon himself should he ever fail in his friendship or defense of the Spaniards. Finally, as the culmination of the oath, Mangabo drank some of the wine and blood mixture.

The chieftain completed the dramatic ceremony by placing the dish upon his head, shouting in a terrible voice, and then embracing Father Lorenzo before placing his own turban on the priest’s head.

To the Spanish chronicler, this was an "execrable and ridiculous oath". Yet, it was performed under native law and held to be inviolate. Through this ritual of blood and wine, Fray Lorenzo was declared a ritual son of Mangabo, ensuring his safety. Fray Lorenzo and his companion were subsequently ransomed back to the Spanish authorities.

The Sandugo between the fierce "crocodile of Tago" and the captured friar serves as a stark reminder of the complex cultural collision defining the early colonial era—a time when indigenous belief systems (diwatas) intersected violently yet sometimes intimately with the advancing Christian empire (Fray Lorenzo’s cross).

5 Questions to Spark Your Curiosity

1. Cultural Diplomacy vs. Colonial Imposition: The Sandugo was regarded by the Spanish as an "execrable and ridiculous oath" but was deemed "inviolate" by Mangabo. How does this fundamental clash in valuing sacred vows influence our understanding of indigenous agency and diplomacy during colonial encounters?

2. The Role of Tago and Regional Identity: Mangabo was known as the "crocodile of Tago". Considering that the Caraga region, stretching from Surigao to Davao, was a major focus of Muslim resistance and Spanish defense, how does the story of a local Tago chief making an oath of kinship redefine or enhance Surigao’s specific sense of place within the broader Mindanao narrative?

3. Personal Bonds and Geopolitical Conflict: Mangabo’s son, Zancalan, killed one friar (Fray de San Fulgencio), but Mangabo subsequently made Fray Lorenzo his "ritual son". To what extent did personal relationships and individual whims temper or redirect the outcomes of the brutal, generalized colonial war (Jihad or Piracy) in the 17th century?

4. Continuity of Indigenous Religion: Mangabo invoked his diwatas during the oath. Given that Spanish evangelization aimed to suppress such native beliefs, how does the persistence of powerful, publicly recognized rituals like the Sandugo reveal the resilience of indigenous spiritual life against the backdrop of forced Christianization?

5. Reclaiming the Narrative: If Mangabo, despite leading a violent rebellion that killed Spaniards, is remembered today through his daring and symbolic acts, how should contemporary Surigaonon historical platforms present the lives of resistance fighters like him to balance the Spanish perspective (which labeled the act "ridiculous") with local heritage and pride?

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