HARING BAKAL STORY

 History of Haring Bakal

Very little is known about the history and background of Haring Bakal. According to Jess Verallo, it began in Mindanao in the late 1800s. It was founded by Dodong Aquilino Lagari Gulang.

The organization aims to protect the weak and those whose lives are threatened by dangerous elements, to fight evil and help the government. To be protected, one has to join the brotherhood. A member has to be blessed. The blessing includes being hacked with a very sharp bolo or a sword several times in different parts of the body.

The number of times one gets hacked determines his ranking or status in the brotherhood. Initially one gets six strikes, later 21, then 36 and finally, 57, for a total of 120. The 36 strikes include the nape and the 57 strikes include the two sides of the neck as well as the head.

Once a person has been properly blessed by an authorized "blessor," he becomes a member of Haring Bakal. He will then receive a prayer to be said every day and has to wear a special red T-shirt on which are written sacred words or oracion of protection. This becomes the member's only anting-anting or amulet. Members of Haring Bakal, unlike other amulet believers, do not carry medallions or other metallic or wooden amulets in their body. They believe the oracions, which are taken from the Holy Book and come directly from God, protect them from knives and bullets, and even sorcery and accidents.

Every new member recites the Oath of Allegiance that says, among other things, he will "love God and obey His commandments, instill the spirit of Christianism and to serve and defend my country without mental reservations."

When founder Dodong Lagari died, no one was appointed to replace him as overall head. It remains vacant and members still consider him the head of the organization. The others are called chapter heads or presidents but a head "blessor" is higher than a president.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

https://trese3.rssing.com/chan-7509367/article2.html