It was a forced marriage, Sophia recalled in an interview in June 1998. She was very young then, while Martelino was Mindanao’s most famous soldier and a veritable lady’s man. Sophia did not like him when they first met at a celebration of Martelino’s conversion into Islam. The soldier was smitten and used his power with the local executives in Simunul to convince Sophia’s sister to agree to the marriage. They got married in October 1967, after only their second meeting.

Source: M.D.Vitug & G.M.Gloria, Under The Crescent Moon; Rebellion Mindanao; Ateneo Center for Social Policy and Public Affairs