The Philippines: Extremism & Counter-Extremism

On May 23, 2017, Philippine soldiers launched an operation in the city of Marawi in search of Isnilon Hapilon, then-leader
of the pro-ISIS faction of Philippines-based terrorist group, Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG). According to the Philippine army,
government troops acted following reports that Hapilon was in Marawi to potentially unite with the Maute Group, an ISIS-
linked rebel group based in the city. Soldiers and Maute militants continue to clash two weeks later as rebels seized
control over large parts of Marawi. Local media reported that the Maute militants burned the Marawi jail and Dansalan
College and attacked the Amai Pakpak Hospital. President Rodrigo Duterte subsequently declared martial law on the entire
island of Mindanao where the city is located. (Sources: PhilStar, ABS-CBN News, ABS-CBN News)

According to Philippine intelligence, as many as 40 of the 400-500 ISIS-linked fighters in Marawi traveled from abroad to
support the terrorists’ siege of Marawai. On October 17, 2017, the day after militant leaders Hapilon and Omarkhayam
Maute were killed, Duterte announced that the military successfully “liberated” Marawi from terrorist influence. On
October 23, Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana announced that all combat operations in the city were
terminated. During a joint session in December, the Philippine Congress voted to extend martial law on the island of
Mindanao through the end of December 2018. (Sources: New York Times, Reuters, New York Times, Rappler, Philippine
News Agency)

Overview
Both Communist nationalist rebels and Islamic separatist insurgencies have wreaked havoc on the Philippines, especially
on the southern island of Mindanao. As a result, several thousands of Filipinos have been murdered in bombings,
assassinations, kidnapping attempts, and executions.

Some of the high profile attacks in the Philippines involved the kidnapping and execution of foreigners, including Western
missionaries and tourists. For example, in May 2001 the Islamic separatist Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) beheaded an American
hostage after the demanded ransom payment was not delivered. In April and June 2016, ASG militants beheaded Canadian
hostages John Ridsdel and Robert Hall, respectively. In September 2014, ASG kidnapped a German doctor and his
companion who were traveling on a yacht between Malaysia and the Philippines. ASG threatened to execute the hostages
unless Germany paid a ransom and ceased supporting U.S.-led airstrikes against ISIS. The two hostages were eventually
released. (Sources: Guardian, BBC News, New York Times, Asian Journal)

The Philippine government considers the Communist People’s Party (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army
(NPA), to be one of the most significant internal security threats. Unlike the Islamic extremists who are concentrated
primarily in Mindanao, the NPA has members throughout the country including in the capital city of Manila. According to
an Institute for Economics and Peace’s Global Terrorism Index 2014, the NPA was the “largest individual group” suspected
to be behind terrorist attacks in the Philippines. Both the CPP and NPA were designated foreign terrorist organizations by
the United States on August 9, 2002. (Sources: Stratfor, Combatting Terrorism Center, U.S. Department of State)

Philippine military and police forces have struggled in dealing with extremist groups. The struggles stem from a lack of
capacity, poor coordination, and geographical obstacles. However, the government has made efforts to restructure and
strengthen its counterterrorism measures in cooperation with the United States and its Southeast Asian neighbors.
Through military and economic initiatives, the Philippines has increased its capability to constrain violent activity and
reduce financing for extremist groups like the NPA, ASG, and Jemaah Islamiyah. (Sources: U.S. Department of State,
Financial Action Task Force)

Radicalization and Foreign Fighters

Communist People’s Party

The Philippines’ longest-running extremist conflict is with the Communist People’s Party (CPP) and its military wing the
New People’s Army (NPA). Jose Maria Sison, a student activist in Manila, established the CPP in 1968 after being expelled
from the existing Communist party, the Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas (PKP). The CPP’s ideology is based heavily on
Maoist thought and singled out U.S. imperialism, capitalism, and feudalism as issues to be confronted via revolution or a

1
 The Philippines: Extremism & Counter-Extremism

“protracted people’s war,” rooted in the peasantry. Unlike Islamist groups that are located primarily in the southern
Philippines, the CPP has a presence in Manila and is active throughout the country. (Source: CTC Sentinel, International
Crisis Group)

During President Rodrigo Duterte’s first month in office in July 2016, he took action to establish peaceful relations with the
Communists. President Duterte made promises to release political prisoners and issued offers for positions in his
administration for those who are willing to join peace talks. On August 25, 2016, Duterte declared a ceasefire with the CPP
and NPA, and ordered the Philippine military and police forces to abide by the declaration. The first round of formal peace
talks between the Communists and the Duterte administration were held in Oslo, Norway from August 22-28, 2016.
However, in July 2017, following attacks by the NPA on government forces in Mindanao, Duterte declared that he will no
longer be negotiating a peace deal with the Communists. In August 2017, CPP announced that it would no longer
cooperate with Duterte and declared that “the people have no other recourse but to tread the path of militant struggle,”
responding to the extension of martial law in Mindanao. (Sources: GMA News, ABS-CBN News, Inquirer, Rappler, PhilStar)

Moro National Liberation Front

Established in 1971 to fight for an independent Moro (Islamic) state in Mindanao, the Moro National Liberation Front
(MNLF) was the first Islamic extremist group in the Philippines. Filipino Muslims refer to themselves as Moro, which is a
derivation of the word ‘Moor,’ a derogatory term used by Spanish colonialists to refer to Islamic North Africans. The term
was then adopted by the Christian majority of the Philippines to describe their Muslim neighbors in the southern islands of
the country. After years of conflict, the MNLF signed a peace agreement with the Philippine government in 1996. The
agreement granted autonomy to the people living in areas under the MNLF’s control, known as the Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). (Source: BBC News, Republic of the Philippines Official Gazette)

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) split from the MNLF in 1978 over leadership and strategic conflicts. Salamat
Hashim, a member of the MNLF, was unhappy with the group’s agreement with the Philippine government, which allowed
for an autonomous but not independent region in Mindanao. Hashim rallied more radical elements to breakaway and form
the MILF. The MILF has been in negotiations with the Philippine government for over 18 years and has since denounced
violence and terrorist acts. (Source: BBC News, The Economist, Reuters)

The Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) is the smallest, though most radical of the separatist groups in Mindanao. ASG split from the
MNLF in 1991, like the MILF, amidst criticism that the parent organization was weakening due to its willingness to enter
into peace talks with the Philippine government. ASG is the most violent of the groups and is of most concern to Australia
and United States, due to its ties to al-Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah. In a video posted on January 2016, a band of ASG
members, using the group’s alternative name Harakatul Islamiyah (Islamic Movement), pledged allegiance to ISIS and
named Isnilon Totoni Hapilon their new leader. Hapilon was on the FBI’s list of Most Wanted Terrorists for his involvement
with ASG. (Sources: Stanford University, BBC News, Manila Time)

President Duterte has promised to crackdown on extremist groups operating in the country, but has stated that he will
uphold existing peace processes with the MNLF and MILF. Duterte has explicitly refused to negotiate with the more
violent ASG, and on August 1, 2016, effectively shut the door on peace talks with the terror group. Duterte stated, “I will
not deal with persons with extreme brutality. There is no… reason for me to sit down and talk with criminals.” (Source:
GMA News)

ISIS

ASG and the closely aligned Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) pledged allegiance to ISIS, according to videos
uploaded to YouTube on July 23, 2014. In another video posted in January 2016, a group of ASG members issued another
formal pledge of allegiance to the terror group and named Hapilon as ASG’s leader and emir of ISIS in the Philippines.
According to the Philippine’s defense secretary, ISIS contacted Hapilon in December 2016 and encouraged him to find an
area to establish a base for ISIS operations in the Philippines. A January 2016 video released by ISIS suggested that the
group’s leadership in Syria had confirmed Hapilon as the leader of ISIS in Southeast Asia. Several other Filipino extremist
groups throughout Mindanao have also pledged allegiance to ISIS, including the Maute Group and Ansar Khalifah
Philippines (AKP). (Sources: GMA News, National Defense College of the Philippines, Manila Times, Institute for Policy

2
 The Philippines: Extremism & Counter-Extremism

Analysis of Conflict, Rappler)

In a November 28, 2016, statement, Duterte said that Philippine intelligence services confirmed that ISIS had connected
with the Maute Group. The group, also known as the Islamic State in Lanao, was responsible for several terrorist incidents
in Mindanao in 2016. On November 28, Philippine police discovered a bomb near the U.S. Embassy in a trash bin, believed
to be planted by Maute militants. Four members were arrested the same day and were found to be carrying video clips of
themselves pledging allegiance to ISIS. According to media reports, the Maute group is also responsible for the December
28, 2016, explosions on a town celebration in Leyte, an island in the middle of the country. Two bombs were reportedly
detonated using a mobile phone, injuring 23 revelers. (Sources: Long War Journal, ABS-CBN News, Associated Press, NBC
News, ABS-CBN News, GMA News)

On May 23, 2017, Maute rebels took siege of Marawi, following gunfight with the Philippine army and national police.
According to authorities, the Maute Group was believed to be harboring Hapilon, who is allegedly ISIS’s leader in
Southeast Asia and has been working to unite ISIS-supporters in the Philippines, including the Maute Group. Hapilon has
since fled the city, abandoning the militants. Philippine intelligence reported that some of the ISIS-linked fighters in
Marawi traveled from abroad, including from Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Middle East. The presence of foreign fighters
raises concerns that the Philippines is becoming an ISIS hub. Official government figures report that 290 militants, 70
soldiers, and 27 civilians were killed with an additional 246,000 displaced between May 23 and June 27, 2017. (Sources:
Standard, ABS-CBN News, Reuters, Reuters, ABS-CBN)

The “Bojinka” Plot

During the summer of 1994, 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM) and Ramzi Yousef began planning the
Manila Air or “Bojinka” plot, a nonsense name KSM adopted after hearing it while in battle in Afghanistan. Part of the
Bojinka plot was to bomb 12 U.S. commercial passenger planes over the Pacific Ocean in the span of two days. The two
terrorists also planned to assassinate then-U.S. President Bill Clinton during his November 1994 trip to Manila and to
bomb U.S.-bound cargo carriers by smuggling jackets with explosives on board.

In their shared Manila apartment, KSM and Yousef experimented with liquid explosives and invented remote trigger
devices. The plot was ultimately foiled when Philippine authorities discovered the bomb-making endeavor on January 6,
1995. Yousef accidentally caused a fire to the makeshift laboratory in the apartment, which brought police to the scene.
Authorities uncovered a laptop with detailed plans of the Bojinka plot. According to Michael Garcia, the former U.S.
Attorney for the Southern District of New York and prosecutor in Yousef’s case, KSM and Yousef were mere weeks from
executing the plan.

Yousef was able to escape to Islamabad, Pakistan. He was later captured by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
in February 1995 and extradited to the United States. He was indicted for the Bojinka plot, along with accomplices Abdul
Hakim Murad and Wali Khan Amin Shah. They were charged in a New York federal court with seven counts of attempting
to bomb 12 passenger planes. (Sources: 9/11 Commission Report, New York Times, CNN)

Foreign Fighters

In March 2014, former Philippine President Aquino received reports that two Filipino Muslims died in Syria in late 2013.
They were reportedly fighting against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his regime. The specific opposition group
remains unclear. In December 2013, an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) working in Syria saw two dead anti-Assad fighters
in the streets. A Syrian government soldier informed the OFW that the dead fighters were members of the Abu Sayyaf
Group. (Sources: Reuters, Rappler, FARS News Agency, Asian Pacific Post)

In September 2014, a Philippine intelligence official revealed that the government began investigating the involvement of
Filipinos Islamists in Syria, possibly fighting for ISIS. Young Filipino Muslims may also have returned from Syria and Iraq
to radicalize others in the Philippines. The leaked government report said that 100 Filipinos went to Iran to undergo
military training and were later deployed to Syria. (Sources: Reuters, Rappler, FARS News Agency, Asian Pacific Post)

A Filipino ISIS member is believed to have taken part in ISIS’ beheading of 18 Syrian Air Force pilots and American citizen
Peter Kassig. The executions were captured on a November 2014 video. Reports cited an unnamed Kurdish source

3
 The Philippines: Extremism & Counter-Extremism

confirming the participation of a Filipino ISIS member. In a May 2015 video produced by al-Hayat Media Center and
published by ISIS supporters on Twitter, the same ISIS fighter is shown sitting in a military vehicle sporting an ISIS flag.
In the 30-second video, he encourages his fellow Filipino jihadists to immigrate and join ISIS in Iraq and Syria. (Sources:
PhilStar, Daily Mail, IraqiNews)

In August 2016, a Filipina woman was arrested in Kuwait who was suspected of having ties to ISIS’s affiliate in Libya.
Kuwaiti security forces purportedly found email messages where she pledged allegiance to the terror group. The suspect
also allegedly communicated with her husband in Libya via the Telegram encrypted messaging app. The unidentified
woman, who moved to Kuwait in June to work as a house maid, reportedly admitted she planned to launch an attack.
(Sources: Al-Arabiya, Associated Press, ABS-CBN News)

Major Extremist and Terrorist Incidents

Since the 1970s, Islamists and Communist separatists have planned and executed numerous attacks throughout the
Philippines, although the most deadly incidents have been concentrated on the southern island of Mindanao.

According to the Database of Worldwide Terrorism Incidents, the Philippines has suffered more than 593 attacks of varying
degrees based on data collected between 1969 and 2010. From 2000 to 2007 alone, Islamic extremists carried out bomb
attacks that killed over 400 Filipino civilians and injured over a thousand more. (Source: Human Rights Watch)

Leftist extremists, primarily associated with the Communist People’s Party (CPP) and the New People’s Army (NPA), have
claimed an estimated 120,000 lives in more than 40 years of conflict with the government. The NPA reportedly had 3,800
guerillas active in the first half of 2016, according to a November 2016 estimate by the Associated Press. (Source: Al
Jazeera, U.S. Department of State, Associated Press)

Abu Sayyaf Group Terror Activities

The Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) is known for its brutality and targeting of civilians. ASG has also received global attention for
its kidnap-for-ransom schemes targeting Westerners. On September 21, 2015, ASG militants abducted four
hostages—Canadians Robert Hall and John Ridsdel, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad, and Filipina Marites “Tess”
Flor—from a resort on Samal Island in the south of the Philippines. ASG militants reportedly beheaded Ridsdel in April
2016 and Hall in June 2016 when their ransom demands were not met. The terror group freed Flor on June 24, 2016, as
well as Sekkingstad on September 17, 2016, after a $630,000 ransom from an unidentified source was paid. (Sources:
CNN, New York Times, CNN Philippines, BBC News, CNN Philippines, CNN Philippines, New York Times)

In 2002, ASG’s relationship with al-Qaeda brought additional attention to the Philippines as a battleground for the Global
War on Terror. The United States provided training and military assistance to the Philippine military and national police,
taking out top ASG leaders such as Khadaffy Janjalani. In the summer of 2014, ASG leaders pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr
al-Baghdadi and ISIS, drawing focus back to the group’s presence in the southern Philippines and potential threat to the
region. (Sources: Al Jazeera, Center for Strategic and International Studies, PhilStar)

Siege of Marawi

On May 23, 2017, Maute rebels took siege of Marawi, following gunfight with the Philippine army and national police.
According to authorities, the Maute Group was believed to be harboring Hapilon, who was then-ISIS’s leader in Southeast
Asia and allegedly working to unite ISIS-supporters in the Philippines, including the Maute Group. Philippine intelligence
reported that some of the ISIS-linked fighters in Marawi traveled from abroad, including from Indonesia, Malaysia, and the
Middle East. The presence of foreign fighters raised concerns that the Philippines could become an ISIS hub. (Sources:
Standard, ABS-CBN News, Reuters, Reuters, ABS-CBN)

The Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict reported that ISIS funneled tens of thousands of dollars from Syria to militants
in the Philippines in January 2017 in advance of the siege of Marawi. According to an October 2017 interview with the
Philippine military chief, ISIS sent at least $1.5 million to finance the siege, and fighters used the 2014 ISIS capture of
Mosul, Iraq as a blueprint. (Sources: Rappler, New York Times, Benar News, New York Times, Associated Press)

4
 The Philippines: Extremism & Counter-Extremism

On October 16, 2017, Philippine government forces launched an offensive to recapture the last areas of Marawi held by
militants, killing leaders Hapilon and Omarkhayam Maute. The following day, Duterte declared the city liberated. On
October 23, after 154 days of the siege, Defense Secretary Lorenzana declared that the military had ceased combat
operations in the city. The five-month siege reportedly left more than 1,100 fighters and civilians dead, including more
than 900 militants, and has displaced at least 400,000 residents. The Philippine Congress voted on December 13, 2017 to
grant President Duterte’s request to extend martial law on the southern island of Mindanao through the end of December
2018. (Sources: New York Times, Rappler)

January 31, 2018:More than 50 members of the ISIS-linked group responsible for the siege in the city of Marawi are
charged with, among other crimes, kidnapping and murder.
The charges are related to crimes allegedly committed a year before when the Maute Group gained prominence and
attracted financial support from ISIS. One accused is a Filipino doctor sought by U.S. law enforcement for funding a
failed terror plot to bomb New York City in 2016. Source: Wall Street Journal
October 17, 2017:After confirming the deaths of ISIS-linked leaders Hapilon and Omarkhayam Maute, Duterte
announces that Marawi has been liberated from terrorists and that martial law will stay in place in order to combat
remaining extremists.
Source: New York Times
May 23, 2017:Philippine soldiers launch an operation in Marawi in search of Isnilon Hapilon.
Government troops reportedly act following reports that Hapilon was in the Marawi to potentially join forces with ISIS-
linked Philippine rebels, the Maute Group. Soldiers clash with Maute militants as they take control over large parts of
the city. According to local media reports, Maute militants burn the Marawai jail and Dansalan College and attack the
Amai Pakpak Hospital. Duterte declares martial law on the entire island of Mindanao. Sources: PhilStar, ABS-CBN
News, ABS-CBN News, Rappler
March 25, 2017:Philippine authorities, with the help of U.S. and Kuwaiti officials, arrest a Kuwaiti couple with
suspected links to ISIS.
Philippine authorities believe the couple had been plotting an attack within Kuwait and possibly the Philippines.
Source: Associated Press
February 27, 2017:German authorities confirm ASG militants beheaded German hostage Jürgen Kantner after the
deadline for ransom payment passed. Kantner was kidnapped from his yacht in November 2016.
Sources: Deutsche Welle, Reuters
January 4, 2017:More than 150 inmates escape from the North Cotabato District Jail on Mindanao, after
approximately 100 gunmen storm the jail and engage in a shoot-out with guards.
According to authorities, the attackers are linked to the BIFF and MILF. Sources: BBC News, ABS-CBN News
November 28, 2016:Philippine police discover and safely detonate a homemade bomb near the U.S. Embassy in
Manila.
According to the national police chief, the bomb has components similar to the improvised explosive device used in the
September 2, 2016 attack in Davao City. Sources: Associated Press, NBC News
November 7, 2016:Philippine soldiers find the body of a German woman on a yacht, in an attack believed to have
been carried out by ASG rebels.
Source: Reuters
September 17, 2016:ASG releases Norwegian hostage Kjartan Sekkingstad after receiving a $630,000 ransom
payment, according to the national police.
MNLF members reportedly facilitated his release. Source: New York Times
September 2, 2016:An improvised explosive device (IED) explodes in a crowded market in Davao City, killing 14
people and injuring at least 71 others.
President Duterte calls the blast an act of terrorism. ASG claims responsibility for the attack. Sources: CNN, New York
Times, ABS-CBN News
August 30, 2016:ASG militants kill 15 Philippine soldiers in a series of clashes on the southern island of Jolo.
The Philippine government announces that it plans to send thousands more soldiers to the island, an ASG stronghold.
Source: New York Times
August 25, 2016:ASG reportedly beheads 18-year-old Filipino hostage Patrick Almodovar.
Sources: International Business Times, Inquirer
June 24, 2016:ASG releases Marites Flor, a Filipina hostage who was kidnapped along with three westerners at a
holiday resort in September 2015.
Source: CNN Philippines
June 13, 2016:Philippine police report that a severed head was found in a plastic bag near a Roman Catholic Church
in the southern Philippines.
DNA tests later confirm the head is that of Robert Hall, the second Canadian held hostage by ASG. Sources: New York
Times, CNN Philippines
May 1, 2016:ASG releases ten Indonesian captives following 35 days of captivity.
The victims are from an Indonesian tugboat crew who were captured in March. Reports suggest that the hostages were

5
 The Philippines: Extremism & Counter-Extremism

released because of intensifying military operations against ASG. The lead Indonesian negotiator claims that the
Indonesian government did not pay ransom for the hostages’ release. Sources: Wall Street Journal, Jakarta Post
April 25, 2016:The Philippines-based Abu Sayyaf Group beheads Canadian citizen John Ridsdel, reportedly hours after
the deadline for his ransom expires.
Prime Minister Trudeau calls the incident an “act of cold blooded murder.” Ridsdel had been held by the Abu Sayyaf
Group since September 2015, when ASG kidnapped three westerners and one Filipino woman. The terror group
demanded a $6.5 million ransom for each of the hostages. Sources: Toronto Star, CBC News, BBC News
April 9, 2016:ASG members ambush a unit of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
The attack kills 18 soldiers, at least four of whom are beheaded, and injures more than 50 others. Four of the soldiers
killed in action are former MNLF fighters who were integrated into the AFP. The Philippine military, however, succeeds
in killing Ubaida Hapilon, son of ASG leader Isnilon Hapilon, and reported bomb-making expert, Moroccan national
Mohammad Khattab. Sources: BBC News, Philippine Government, CNN Philippines
January 2016:A band of ASG members, using the group’s alternative name Harakatul Islamiyah (Islamic Movement),
pledges allegiance to ISIS in a video posted online.
They also name the leader of their unit, Isnilon Totoni Hapilon, as the leader of ASG. Sources: BBC News, Manila Times
December 24, 2015 - December 26, 2015:Members of BIFF carry out a series of attacks over three days, killing
eight.
The attacks are reportedly in response to the military’s hunt for ISIS-linked terrorists in the region. Source: PhilStar
November 18, 2015:ASG beheads Malaysian hostage Bernard Then Ted Fen, who was kidnapped in May 2015.
He is the first Malaysian to be killed by the group. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak condemns the killing, calling
on Philippine authorities to take action against the perpetrators of the barbaric act. Sources: Al Jazeera, PhilStar
September 21, 2015:Eleven ASG gunmen storm the Holiday Ocean View Samal Resort in southeast of Mindanao,
abducting a Norwegian resort manager, two Canadians, and one Filipina woman.
Source: CNN Philippines
September 18, 2015:A bomb explodes under a bus in Zamboanga City in southern Philippines, killing an 11-year-old
girl and injuring at least 32 others.
Local police blame ASG based on video evidence and extortion letters that were sent to the bus terminal management.
Sources: International Business Times, ABS-CBN News
August 11, 2015:Members of the Philippine military find the beheaded body of a man identified as the barangay
captain, Rodolfo Buligao. Buligao was kidnapped by ASG in May 2015.
Source: Rappler
February 5, 2015:DNA tests indicate that Philippine police killed Jemaah Islamiyah’s notorious bomb-maker, Marwan,
in a January 25, 2015 raid.
However, the Philippine government is still on the hunt for 63 of Marwan’s associates, all believed to be trained by
another Jemaah Islamiyah bomb expert and senior figure, Dulmatin. Sources: CNN, Inquirer
January 25, 2015:Approximately 400 officers in the Philippines’ counterterrorism police force conduct a raid in the
village of Mamasapano in southern Philippines.
The police force’s elite Special Action Force (SAF) receive intelligence that Zulfiki bin Hir a.k.a. Marwan, a Malaysian
Jemaah Islamiyah member and wanted fugitive, is hiding in the village. At least 44 officers of the elite the SAF die in
gun battle with the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, a MILF splinter group, making it the deadliest operation for
the police force in over ten years. Sources: Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor
May 21, 2014:NPA Communist extremists attempt to take over a town hall in Cotabato, Mindanao.
Philippine police kill three of the 100 rebels and the remaining NPA assailants are forced to retreat. Source: U.S. State
Department
September 3, 2013 - September 28, 2013:A group of 200 MNLF extremists launch a deadly attack on Zamboanga
city on the southern island of the Philippines.
The MNLF rebels storm the southern Philippines coast of Zamboanga, attempting to capture City Hall. The Philippine
Armed Forces, many of them U.S.-trained commandos, encircle the extremist-held town. MNLF takes 200 hostages in
the first four-days and uses human shields in fire-fight with the military. The standoff lasts for nearly three weeks,
coming to an end on September 28. More than 150 people die in the fighting, with two-thirds of them being MNLF
members. More than 10,000 homes are burned in the battle between the group and government military. Source: The
Atlantic, VOA News
May 27, 2013:NPA fighters detonate an explosive device on a roadside in the northern Philippine province of Cagayan.
Seven policemen, part of the elite SAF, are killed and seven others are wounded. The attack comes days after a clash
between Filipino Marines and ASG militants in the southern Philippine province of Sulu. Sources: Al Jazeera,
International Business Times
October 3, 2011:NPA conducts attacks against three large-scale mining corporations in Surigao del Norte, a province
on the Mindanao island.
The three companies—Taganito Mining Corp, 4K Mining, and Thpal Mining—are targeted because they refused to give
into the group’s extortion demands. No security personnel are injured. However, the group destroys machinery, a guest
house and causes major damage to mining operations. Source: GMA News
February 27, 2004:ASG militants set off a blast on the Superferry 14, a passenger ferry bound from the Philippines

6
 The Philippines: Extremism & Counter-Extremism

capital of Manila to the city of Bacolod in central Philippines.

The explosion and resulting fire spread through the ferry, killing 116 people, including 15 children. Tragically, 12
families lose multiple members and in one case, three generations perish. The Philippine government believe that
senior ASG leaders Khadaffy Janjalani and Abu Solaiman are the masterminds behind the attack. Sources: BBC News,
Human Rights Watch
April 2, 2003:A food stand along the Sasa Wharf on the island of Mindanao is bombed, killing 17 and injuring 56.
Several purported MILF and ASG members are arrested in connection with the attacks. Philippine officials allege the
attacks were carried out with the help of Jemaah Islamiyah, given the Indonesian nationality of a few suspects. Sources:
Human Rights Watch, PhilStar
March 4, 2003:Amidst a surge in sectarian violence, a bomb detonates at Davao International Airport in the south.
Twenty-two people die in the attack, including an American missionary, and 170 others are wounded. An ASG member
claims responsibility days after the attack, though government authorities initially blamed MILF. Sources: Human
Rights Watch, New York Times
January 15, 2002:Philippine authorities arrest Jemaah Islamiyah’s expert bomb-maker, Fathur Rahman al-Ghozi.
Al-Ghozi is responsible for training Jemaah Islamiyah members from Singapore and Malaysia and has ties to extremist
groups in the Philippines, such as MILF. Al-Ghozi is also responsible for the Rizal Day bombings in December 2000.
Source: BBC News
August 2, 2001:ASG members attack a predominately Christian village in Basilan Province, Southern Philippines.
The Islamic insurgents kidnap 32 villagers and later decapitate 11 of them. Source: Human Rights Watch
December 30, 2000:Jemaah Islamiyah sets off five simultaneous blasts in the Metro Manila area in Philippines’ capital
city, killing 22.
It occurs during Rizal Day, a national holiday commemorating the martyrdom of the nation’s hero, José Rizal. According
to Philippines police investigation, Jemaah Islamiyah member Fathur Rahman al-Ghozi was responsible for the
bombing. He later confesses that the bombing assignment in the Philippines was funded by Jemaah Islamiyah. Sources:
GMA Network, Singapore Ministry of Home Affairs
April 22, 1989:Members of the NPA shower gunfire on a vehicle carrying U.S. Colonel James N. Rowe, on its way to
Quezon City, a Manila suburb.
Colonel Rowe, the chief of ground forces of the Join United States Military Assistance Group, is struck in the head and
dies instantly, his Filipino driver is injured. The Communist rebels claim that they targeted the U.S. Army officer for his
direct involvement in the Philippine government’s counterinsurgency program. Source: New York Times

Domestic Counter-Extremism
On February 19, 2007, the Congress of the Philippines passed the Republic Act No. 9372, also known as the “Act to Secure
the State and Protect Our People from Terrorism,” or the “Human Security Act of 2007” for short. This is the main piece of
counter-extremism legislation in the Philippines. The Act criminalizes and defines terrorism and other terms applicable
under the law, such as accomplice or accessory. The Act also includes guidelines for surveillance and banking regulations
to prevent terror funding. The Act also created the Anti-Terrorism Council the lead agency in implementing the Act.
(Sources: Philippine Congress, Inquirer, U.N. Counter-Terrorism Committee)

Then-Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo also created the National Counter-Terrorism Action Group (NACTAG),
under the supervision of the Anti-Terrorism Council, to assist in enforcing the Council’s regulations. Whereas the Anti-
Terrorist Council oversees general implementation of the law, NACTAG is responsible for the actual investigation an
evidence-finding for prosecutors in the event of a terrorist attack. (Sources: Philippine Congress, Inquirer, U.N. Counter-
Terrorism Committee)

In 2013, the Philippines passes the Republic Act No. 10365 to amend the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Act of 2001. It
expanded the list of crimes under the Philippines AML regime to include financing terrorism. Financing terrorism is also a
stand-alone crime under Republic Act No. 10168, known as “The Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of
2012.” (Source: U.S. State Department, Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines)

Security Agencies

According to the U.S. Department of State, Duterte has an Anti-Terrorism Council to provide guidance to counterterrorism
agencies, but coordination between government agencies remains ineffective. Historically, the major counterterrorism
security apparatus is the military, known as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). However, on January 1, 2011, the
Philippines government created the 2011-2016 Internal Peace and Security Plan. The AFP has begun to transition internal

7
 The Philippines: Extremism & Counter-Extremism

security functions, i.e. domestic terrorism, to the Philippine National Police (PNP) in order to increase the role and
capability of the police in maintaining internal security enabling the AFP to shift its focus to maritime security and
territorial defense. According to the U.S. State Department, Duterte’s focus of resources on anti-narcotics and
counterterrorism operations stymied progress. (Sources: U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of State)

Within the PNP, there is an elite force called the Special Action Force (SAF). The SAF is the tactical support unit of the
PNP that deals with more high-level issues such as hostage crises, commando-type unconventional warfare. The group is
known primarily for its counterterrorism operations and most recently for the botched January 2015 raid during which 43
elite officers were killed. (Source: Philippine National Police, Wall Street Journal)

The AFP, however, has been able to degrade ASG’s forces with the assistance of the U.S. Joint Specials Operations Task
Force-Philippines (JSOTF-P). Recent estimates show that that ASG has approximately 300 fighters, down from its peak of
1,250 in 2000. The JSTOF-P mission provided counterterrorism training to the AFP until 2014. The United States officially
ended JSOTF-P activities in June 2015, but has retained some personnel in the Philippines to provide “operational advice
and assistance to higher levels of command” within the AFP. (Sources: Soufan Group, U.S. State Department, United
States Naval Institute, Soufan Group)

Counter Extremism Programs

The Philippines has a counter-radicalization program called Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA), or Resilient
Communities in Conflict Affected Communities. PAMANA is the government’s program on conflict resolution and
development in conflict-affected areas throughout the Philippines. According to the organization’s most recent status
report, PAMANA has launched programs that provide social protection for former combatants and their next-of-kin as well
as support to indigenous people and other marginalized groups. For example, PAMANA sponsored a Health Insurance
Program to cover former combatants from rebel groups that are included in peace agreements with the Philippine
government. The Health Insurance Program was able to enroll 3,740 former militants in early 2015. For indigenous
peoples, PAMANA has launched initiatives like the issuance of Certificate of Ancestral Domain Titles (CADTs) to support
indigenous land claims, and quick response programs during emergencies. These programs are intended to foster
sustainable peace and encourage capacity-building. (Sources: U.S. State Department, PAMANA)

The New Bilibid Prison, a maximum security prison under review with the Philippine Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), hosts
a number of inmates from ASG and BIFF. The prison is at 165 percent capacity, a record high, and authorities are
concerned that extremist inmates may radicalize others. The country’s Bureau of Jail Management and Penology tries to
combat this threat by providing counter-radicalization programs in facilities where ASG members and other terror suspects
are housed pending trial. (Sources: Inquirer, U.S. State Department)

International Counter-Extremism
The Philippines condemned the September 11, 2001, attacks against the United States, offering its ports and airports for
use by U.S. naval vessels and military aircraft. Then-Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and then-U.S. President
George W. Bush agreed to dispatch of U.S. military personnel to train the Philippine military in counterterrorism efforts
against ASG. Under the bilateral Visiting Force Agreement of 1999, the two countries had agreed that the United States
would provide training and other assistance to the Philippine Armed Forces. Since then, the Philippines has consistently
allied with the United States to combat extremism domestically and pledge support for U.S. actions abroad. (Sources:
Congressional Research Service, NBC News)

In September 2016, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte requested the complete removal of American troops from
Mindanao and stated that the Philippines will review its policy of allowing American troops to combat terrorism in the
country. U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg stated that the United States would like to remain involved in
the Philippines’ campaign to combat Islamic militancy, expressing concern about any “new intrusion of ISIS or any other
group that wants to take advantage of open space in the south of the Philippines.” Following the election of Donald Trump
to the U.S. presidency, Duterte said he would no longer “quarrel” with the United States. (Sources: GMA News,
Bloomberg, ABS-CBN News, Reuters)

8
 The Philippines: Extremism & Counter-Extremism

Anti-ISIS Coalition

Speaking before the 26th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi,
Malsaysia, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario expressed the government’s fear that Philippine security is under
real threat from ISIS. In the same speech, del Rosario pledged that the Philippines would:

contribute in the fight against extremism, terrorism and crimes against humanity by engaging or cooperating with
other countries in the areas of information sharing, joint investigations, educational campaigns, humanitarian
assistance to victims, restricting flow of funds intended to finance terrorism, supporting resolutions aimed at
curbing terrorism and enhancing local legislation to address terrorism. (Source: Official Gazette of the Republic of
the Philippines)

The Philippines cosponsored United Nations Security Council Resolution 2178 on Foreign Terrorist Fighters and supported
the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Statement on the Violence and Brutality Committed by Extremist Organizations in Iraq and
Syria. As of December 2016, the Philippines has implemented the U.N. Security Council ISIL (Da’esh) and al-Qa’ida
sanctions regime and Taliban (1988) sanctions. (Sources: PhilStar, CNN, ASEAN, U.S. Department of State)

Maritime Cooperation

On May 5, 2016, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia agreed to coordinate policing of Southeast Asia’s shipping lanes
following an increase in kidnappings by Islamic extremists. Foreign ministers and military chiefs from each country met
days after the May 1 release of 10 Indonesian crewmen and a separate incident in which a Canadian hostage John Ridsdel
was beheaded by ASG militants.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is working to enhance the country’s maritime security given recent attacks at
sea by Islamic militants in southern Philippines. There have been several high-profile kidnappings of Western and local
nationals from tourist locales and shipping and fishing boats. The attacks were perpetrated mainly by ASG terrorists.
Philippine, Indonesian, and Malaysian militaries have stated that they will apply lessons learned from patrolling other
shipping lanes, like the Malacca Strait, to prevent further armed robbery and kidnapping at sea. (Source: Wall Street
Journal, U.S. Department of State)

In January 2018, Duterte and Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi agreed that the two countries would increase
bilateral cooperation on maritime security and anti-terrorism operations. The agreement included strengthening trade
between the Philippines and Indonesia and launching an education program to spread Islamic values in Southeast Asian
nations and to counter extremism. (Source: PhilStar)

Diplomatic and Financial Endeavors

As a member of ASEAN, the Philippines adopted the Langkawi Declaration on the Global Movement of Moderates (GMM)
on April 27, 2015. The Declaration promotes moderation as an ASEAN value and enhances cooperation within ASEAN-led
bodies to counter extremism, among other mandates. (Source: ASEAN)

In February 2015, key Filipino counterterrorism officials received advanced training on combatting terrorism financing
from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC)’s Secretariat.
(Source: UNODC)

The Philippines is also a member of the Asia Pacific Group (APG) on Money Laundering, which is modeled after the
Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an inter-governmental body promoting policies to combat money laundering and
terrorist financing. The Philippines has improved its anti-money laundering and counterterrorist finance regime. In June
2013, the FATF found that the Philippines was no longer subject to the FATF monitoring process, but would work with the
APG to addresses ongoing issues. (Sources: Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering, Financial Action Task Force)

9
 The Philippines: Extremism & Counter-Extremism

Public Opinion
One major polling body in the Philippines, Social Weather Stations (SWS), has conducted surveys that measure public
satisfaction with the government and public opinions on issues of national concern. In June 2016, SWS conducted a survey
that measured Filipinos’ satisfaction with the government, including its efforts to restore peace in Mindanao and reconcile
with Muslim and Communist rebels. Those surveyed gave the government a rating of “good” for “[r]estoring peace to
Mindanao.” The government received a rating of “moderate” for its attempts at reconciling with Muslim and Communist
rebels, an increase from a “neutral” rating in April 2016. (Source: Social Weather Stations (August 2016))

In August 2017, the Pew Research Center conducted a survey on top national security threats in the country.
Approximately 70 percent of respondents in the Philippines believe that ISIS is a major threat to the country, making it the
top threat concern compared to other issues such as climate change. (Source: Pew Research Center)

10