Sabang, San Jose

This barangay holds interesting historic sites and events.[2] It is in this place where we can find a ruin of the Moro watch tower accordingly built in 1813 by the Spaniards as defense against Moro attacks. Moro piracy was very common in the Pacific Ocean because galleons passed by this area and that the presence of Moro pirates significantly affected the trade and commerce. It was told that Sabang was then a commercial center flocked by trader and buyers from neighboring places from as far as Tigaon and Sagñay.

There were four cannons mounted in the watchtower. Some months after its completion, an actual combat happened between the Spanish soldiers and the Moros. Indeed, the watchtower served its purpose of being the portal of defense. However, there was no mention of which group was victorious. Old folks accounts said that the construction of the watchtower was done through forced labor or polo method. Exemption from the polo was worth ₱7.50 for men, and ₱2.00 for women. Failure to do hard labor or pay the exemption fee meant punishment by lashing (latigo) usually from 12-25 lashes.

The watchtower was destroyed during the occupation of the American forces. It was also this time that there was a Japanese Imperial Army stationed thereat and American planes raided and bombarded the place upon seeing the hoisted Japanese flag along the river bank. Accordingly, the watchtower was cut down by the said bombardment to the height that it has now. There was even a mystery about the loss of the cannons that were mounted.