Why Magellan didn’t use his cannon weapon to beat lapu-lapu and his men instead he chose to fight them ashore?

Question

Lapulapu (chief) (1490?-1560?), Filipino chieftain and leader of the warriors who killed Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan. Lapulapu is now widely regarded as the first Filipino hero. In 1521 Magellan made a pact with one of Lapulapu's rivals, Humabon, a chief on the island of Cebu. Magellan agreed to help Humabon attack the nearby island of Mactan, and in late April Magellan and his sailors tried to land on the island. Lapulapu gathered his forces and killed Magellan and most of the sailors.

Lapulapu's story was recorded by two European chroniclers, Antonio de Pigafetta and Maximilius Transylvanus, and by the oral traditions of Mactan. The oral histories include the myth that, after his death, Lapulapu was transformed into the sea rock of Malingin, south of Punta Engano. In honor of Lapulapu, the city of Opon, opposite the city of Cebu on a channel of Cebu Strait, was renamed Lapu-Lapu.

Answer 1

Most likely because they hadn't beeen expecting much of a fight from them when they had guns. Another reason would have been that the battle fought in the jungle not the beach so they didn't know where Lapu-Lapu was and to waste ammo so far into the trip would have been a foolish thing to do.

Answer 2

There is a simple explanation. It's because the ships with the cannon were out of range. A reef prevented them from coming in closer to shore to support the landing party.

Magellan had not expected this when he drew up his plan of attack. He was over-confident and paid the price.

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