Limahong

This clandestine trade extended to the Philippines, with Miguel López de Legazpi reporting in 1567, annual visits by Japanese and Chinese traders.

[3]: 80 Venturing once again back to Luzon, Limahon was able to capture a Chinese merchant ship engaged in trade with the Spanish.

Clad in cotton corselets with bamboo helmets, but armed with pikes, arquebusses, battle axes, cutlasses and daggers, they proceeded barefoot towards the city, where they arrived by 10 am.

Fortunately for the defense of Manila, Limahon's men first had to deal with master of the camp Martin de Goiti, who lost his life.

This delay allowed Captains Velasquez and Chacon to bring forward men with whom to confront the pirates on the beach.

After suffering 80 casualties to the Spanish 14, the Chinese retreated to their boats, making their way to Limahon who had set up base in the port of Cavite.

By daybreak on the third day, Limahon's entire fleet appeared offshore and fired three volleys before putting men ashore to attack the Spanish fort.

Salcedo's expedition of 256 men, with 2500 native allies, set sail on 23 March 1575, with 59 vessels commanded by Captains Chacon, Chaves, Ribera, and Ramirez.

At the same time, 35 Chinese vessels were departing in a search for provisions, and when Limahon's men caught sight of the Spanish, they panicked, and fled to their fort.

[4] Shortly before the escape of Limahong, a Chinese fleet under Wang Wanggao (王望高; known in Spanish sources as Omocon), arrived to spy on Limahon.

[3]: 80–81 The threat presented by Limahong created a profound sense of distrust between the Spanish and the Chinese population in the Philippines.

More than three decades later, Governor-General Pedro Bravo de Acuña even invoked the invasion of Limahong when discussing Dutch piracy with the Viceroy of Fujian.

[12] Sterling Seagrave claimed that this was intended as a tacit acknowledgement that the elder Marcos was the secret son of his Chinese godfather Ferdinand Chua.