The Kalantiaw Code

In the famous epic story of Maragtas, there was this mythical legal code called "The Code of Kalantiaw". It was named after its supposed author, Datu Kalantiaw, who allegedly wrote it in 1433. Datu Kalantiaw was a chief on the island of Negros. It was written about by Jose E. Marco in 1913 in his historical fiction "Las Antiguas Leyendes de la Isla de Negros" (The Ancient Legends of the Island of Negros). He ascribed its source to a priest named Jose Maria Pavon.

The historian Josue Soncuya wrote about the Code of Kalantiaw in 1917 in his book "Historia Prehispana de Filipinas" (Prehispanic History of the Philippines) where he transferred the location of the origin of the Code from Negros to Panay because he contended that said Code may have been related to the Binirayan festival.

The story on this Code has been recognized through the ages by known authors. In 1968, however, historian William Henry Scott called this a "hoax" in his book "Prehispanic Source Materials for the Study of Philippine History". Consequently, Filipino historians agreed to expunge the Code of Kalantiaw in future materials on Philippine history.

Although the said Code ceases to be part of the texts of Philippine history, however, many still believe its validity.