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Terrorism in the Philippines

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Wanted poster in Lapu-Lapu City displaying the photos and names of local terrorist suspects.

Terrorism is a major social issue in the Philippines linked to the Moro conflict and the communist rebellion.[1] The country ranks in 23rd place on the Global Terrorism Index's 2026 list of countries most affected by terrorism.[2]

Overview

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Since the late 1960s, terrorism has become a major problem in the Philippines.[3] These terrorist attacks are often carried out by several Jihadist and militants groups with different ideologies and motives.[4] Such acts of terrorism include bombings, domestic terrorism, kidnapping, drug trafficking, extortion, mass murder, assassination and other types of attack. Terrorist groups like Abu Sayyaf, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and Jemaah Islamiyah mostly operate in the Southern Philippines.[5] The New People's Army maintains a wider range of operations across the country and launches attacks albeit on a lesser intensity than other rebel movements.

Following the September 11 attacks, the Philippines became a new front on the American-led war on terror[6] During George W. Bush’s presidency, the U.S sent foreign aid and American troops in Mindanao to assist in counterinsurgency operations as part of Operation Enduring Freedom in the Philippines. The Siege of Marawi ended in the deaths of several terrorist leaders and reduction of Islamic State presence in the Philippines.

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According to Philippine laws, terrorism is a crime under the Human Security Act of 2007 which describes such acts as causing "widespread and extraordinary fear and panic among the populace". The first group to be officially listed as a terrorist organization under the law was the Abu Sayyaf on September 10, 2015, by the Basilan provincial court.[11] The law's weaknesses was cited by Senator Panfilo Lacson, who called the law a "dead letter law" for being "severely underutilized".[12]

On 3 July 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law Republic Act 11479, better known as the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020. This replaced the Human Security Act and revised and expanded the definition of terror offenses.[13] Rights groups criticized the law, calling it "draconian", and filed a case on its constitutionality to the Supreme Court; the Court upheld the law on 26 April 2022[14] but struck down provisions allowing the anti-terror council (ATC) to designate a person or a group as terrorists based on a request by another country[15] and a vague definition of terrorist acts that was deemed too "overbroad and violative of freedom of expression."[16]

Through the ATC, the Philippine government has designated individuals and organizations linked to the group as "terrorists".[17] On 21 September 2022, a petition filed by the Philippine government in 2018 to declare the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People's Army (NPA) as terrorist organizations citing the Human Security Act was denied by the Manila Regional Trial Court, which ruled that the groups were not organized for terrorism and their resort to armed guerrilla warfare was only a means to achieve their purpose. It also cited the absence of a law that banned membership in communist groups.[18]

Challenges to allegations of violating the anti-terror law

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This section is an excerpt from Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 § Challenges to allegations of violating the anti-terror law.[edit]

In 2021, the Olongapo Regional Trial Court acquitted Japer Gurung and Junior Ramos, Indigenous Aeta residents of Zamboanga, in the first known anti-terror law case, ruling that the accusations were the result of mistaken identities.[19]

In November 2023, the prosecutor's office in Santa Rosa City in Laguna rejected a complaint against human rights worker Hailey Pecayo and other activists over the alleged violation of the anti-terror law.[20] In the same month, a prosecutor in Antipolo, Rizal, dismissed anti-terror law charges against human rights activists Kenneth Rementilla and Jasmine Rubia.[21]

In November 2023, Windel Bolinget and three other Indigenous rights workers of the Cordillera People's Alliance filed a case before the Baguio Regional Trial Court challenging their designation as terrorists by the Anti-Terrorism Council.[22]

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Since January 2000 radical Islamist groups and Islamist separatist forces have carried out over 40 major bombings against civilian targets, mostly in the southern regions of the country around Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago.[23] Numerous bombings have also been carried out in and around Metro Manila, several hundred kilometres from the conflict in the southern regions, due to its political importance. From 2000 to 2007 attacks killed nearly 400 civilians and injured well over 1500 more,[24] more casualties than caused by bombings and other attacks in Indonesia, Morocco, Spain, Turkey, or Britain during the same period.[23]

Public transport and other gathering places, such as street markets, have been targets, however large-scale abductions and shootings have also been carried out by these groups, predominantly by the Abu Sayyaf and the Rajah Solaiman Movement.[24]

Under the Bongbong Marcos administration in June 2023, the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) designated four leaders of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA)[25] as terrorists; Windel Bolinget, Jennifer Awingan, Sarah Abellon-Alikes, and Steve Tauli were accused of being members of the CPP-NPA Ilocos Cordillera Regional White Area Committee.[26] A month later, the ATC suspended Congressman for the 3rd district of Negros Occidental, Arnolfo Teves Jr.; his brother, Pryde Henry Teves; and eleven other associates as terrorists acting under what it called the "Teves Terrorist Group", in connection with the assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo in March. This was the first time the council designated an elected official as a terrorist.[27]

List of terrorist incidents

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See also

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References

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  1. ↑ Mendoza, Ronald U.; Ong, Rommel Jude G.; Romano, Dion Lorenz L.; Torno, Bernadette Chloe P. (2021). "Counterterrorism in the Philippines: Review of Key Issues". Perspectives on Terrorism. 15 (1): 49–64. ISSN 2334-3745. JSTOR 26984797.
  2. ↑ "Global Terrorism Index 2023: Measuring the Impact of Terrorism" (PDF). Vision of Humanity. Sydney: Institute for Economics and Peace. March 2023. p. 10. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 25, 2023. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  3. ↑ Joy Arellano, Clarisa. "EFFECT OF TERRORISM ON EMPLOYMENT AND RISE PRODUCTION IN THE PHILIPPINES" (PDF).
  4. ↑ Kalicharan, Veera Singam (2019). "An Evaluation of the Islamic State's Influence over the Abu Sayyaf". Perspectives on Terrorism. 13 (5): 90–101. ISSN 2334-3745. JSTOR 26798580.
  5. ↑ "Terrorism - Philippines travel advice". GOV.UK. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  6. ↑ Gershman, John (2002). "Is Southeast Asia the Second Front?". Foreign Affairs. 81 (4): 60–74. doi:10.2307/20033240. ISSN 0015-7120. JSTOR 20033240.
  7. ↑ National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism. (2016). Global Terrorism Database (globalterrorismdb_0616dist.xlsx Archived 10 July 2016 at the Wayback Machine). Retrieved from https://www.start.umd.edu/gtd University of Maryland
  8. ↑ National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism. (2016). Global Terrorism Database (gtd1993_0616dist.xlsx Archived 10 July 2016 at the Wayback Machine). Retrieved from https://www.start.umd.edu/gtd University of Maryland
  9. ↑ "Terrorism deaths fell in 2018 for fourth straight year, but more countries affected, think tank finds". TODAY. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
  10. ↑ dlewis (January 11, 2021). "Terrorism in the Philippines » 2020 Global Terrorism Index". Vision of Humanity. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
  11. ↑ "Philippine court designates Abu Sayyaf a terrorist group". Sun Star. September 11, 2015. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved September 12, 2015.
  12. ↑ Moaje, Marita (June 17, 2020). "Lacson, Esperon cite weaknesses of Human Security Act". Philippine News Agency. Archived from the original on July 12, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Philippines: Dangerous anti-terror law yet another setback for human rights". Amnesty International. July 3, 2020. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Supreme Court upholds with finality most of anti-terror law". Rappler. April 26, 2022. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  15. ↑ "SC voids anti-terror law power to designate terrorists based on other country's request". Rappler. December 9, 2021. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Supreme Court voids anti-terror law's 'killer' caveat on 'harmful' dissent". Rappler. December 9, 2021. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  17. ↑ Pulta, Benjamin (July 13, 2023). "ATC designates 6 alleged CPP-NPA members as 'terrorists'". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  18. ↑ Maitem, Jeoffrey (September 22, 2022). "Philippine court junks govt petition to designate communist party as terrorist group". Benar News. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  19. ↑ Torres-Tupas, Tetch (July 19, 2021). "Olongapo court acquits 2 Aetas in first Anti-Terror Law case". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on November 26, 2023. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  20. ↑ Bolledo, Jairo (November 23, 2023). "3 activists are latest to win cases of feared anti-terror law". Rappler. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  21. ↑ Laqui, Ian (November 23, 2023). "'Lack of probable cause': Rizal prosecutor junks Anti-Terror Law charges vs 2 activists". Philippine Star. Archived from the original on December 14, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  22. ↑ Umil, Anne Marxze (November 23, 2023). "4 Cordillera rights defenders challenge 'terrorist' designation in court". Bulatlat. Archived from the original on December 2, 2023. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  23. 1 2 Human Rights Watch Lives Destroyed: Attacks on Civilians in the Philippines. July 2007
  24. 1 2 Carlos H. Conde, The New York Times 400 killed by terrorism in Philippines since 2000, report says 30 July 2007
  25. ↑ "Philippine Journal of Linguistics". Linguistic Society of the Philippines. 1987: 82. ISSN 0048-3796. Retrieved September 20, 2023. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  26. ↑ "Gov't designates 4 Cordillera IP activists as 'terrorists'". CNN Philippines. July 11, 2023. Archived from the original on July 26, 2023. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  27. ↑ "Anti-Terrorism Council defends tagging Teves as terrorist". Rappler. August 1, 2023.
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