The closest landfall for the Moros was what is today the state of Sabah in northern Borneo. I've read recent reports about the elephants in this state which are considered an unusual sub-species of the Asian elephants, due to their smaller size.
Could these be the very desecendants of those war elephants brought to the PI? Maybe not big enough to mount a shooting platform or howdah but a stampeding war elephant of any size could probably do some serious damage to infantry.

And their smaller size would have made the logistics much easier.
Perhaps John can help us with more information since it's his home territory.