ZAMBOANGA - An Islamic scholar said Wednesday that the U.S. government must at least apologize to the Filipino people for the Bud Dajo massacre that took place in Sulu more than 100 years ago.

Professor Eddie Ladja, dean of the College of Asian and Islamic Studies of the Western Mindanao State University said women, children, and even the elderly were not spared by American soldiers during the war.

Ladja said the conflict between the Moros and the Americans started after the Moros refused to pay community taxes being demanded by the Americans.

The Moros sought refuge in Bud Dajo, a dormant volcano in Sulu where they established a temporary encampment. There was a negotiation for the Moros to surrender, but the American soldiers eventually attacked them, killing almost a thousand Moros, Ladja said.

For Ladja, justice was never obtained after more than a century since the Dud Dajo massacre happened.

He insisted that the U.S. government should apologize to the Filipino people for the human rights violation it committed in the Bud Dajo massacre and retract the recognition given to General Leonard Wood, who led the U.S. forces in the Bud Dajo attack.

"Walang justice ang nangyari kasi there was no one held responsible after the crime was committed. Dapat there is this global consolation. Mag-sorry 'yung America to the Filipino people, in particular what happened during 1906, and i-declare nila sa documents nila na hindi hero si General Wood." Ladja said.

(No justice was ever served because no one was held responsible for the Bud Dajo massacre. The U.S. should apologize and put on record that General Wood is no hero.)

He described the Bud Dajo massacre as "genocide".

Ladja said the Bud Dajo massacre left a deep wound among the Moros in Mindanao, which unconsciously developed into a culture of silence and distrust of Americans.

The Islamic scholar said he agreed to the perception of some that President Rodrigo Duterte's statement against the U.S. government and his call for the total pull-out of the U.S. forces in Mindanao are strong manifestations and assertions of independence and sovereignty of the country.

He also applauded the president for showing photographs of the Bud Dajo massacre during the ASEAN Summit.

Ladja said this sets a tone that the U.S. government cannot lecture the Philippines about human rights violation, since looking back at history, they themselves have also committed an even bigger crime against humanity.