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50 Peace and Security Review Vol.1, No.2, Second Quarter, 2008 ferry Inter-Island sea vessel in the off shore of Manila in 2003 3 and the Davao City international airport Bombing in 2003 4 that resulted to hundred of civilian casualties. These acts of terrorism bring to the general awareness of the public about the evolution of the Southern Philippines based secessionist threat. From what used to be a ethno-Islamist liberation struggle, it evolved into a radical Islamist movement, with global influence especially from the Middle East. The threat challenged the efficacy of the national security infrastructure of Philippine government and demonstrated a major flaw in the coordination of efforts among Philippines public institutions. A case in point is the problem of achieving unity of efforts of intelligence agencies such as those of the military and police in synchronizing operations to predict and prevent terrorist attack. The Philippine experience of deadly terrorist attacks made it a good subject of counter insurgency and counter-terrorism studies. Hence, this paper seeks to understand the Philippine counter terrorism response. It generally looked into the question on why Philippines has not contained the nearly half a century Bangsamoro secessionist movement? The paper postulates that an absence of a comprehensive strategy and plan will lead to an inadequate, and perhaps unsuccessful, counter insurgency and counter terrorism campaign. To answer this question, this paper examines, assesses, and analyzes the Philippine Counter Terrorism response to the Bangsamoro secessionist movement. It identifies counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism lessons learned and determine suitable policy recommendations needed. II. THE BANGSAMORO ARMED STRUGGLE IN SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES In order to understand the Islamist inspired Terrorism in the Philippines, it is important to appreciate the Bangsamoro Secessionist struggle, its historical perspective, context and factors that affect its evolution. In doing so, this will help to identify inconsistency and inappropriateness of response of the Philippine government. The Evolution of the Moro Secessionist Movement This understanding could mirror the evolution that can best be described in at least three waves. The first wave is “Islamization,” which came by way of 3 Colonel Juanito Dalmas, Director for Operations, ATTF, “Anti-terrorism Task Force Briefing (ATTF),” 2004. 4 Ibid. Vol.1, No.2 2008 pp.49-76
Taharudin Ampatuan Philippines’ Counter Insurgency and Terrorism 51 Arab missionaries and Muslim traders that sprung the formation of Sultanates in Sulu and Maguindanao in early and late 14 th Century, respectively. The second wave is “Islamic revivalism movement,” which came by way of the influence of the Islamic movements in the post colonial Middle East from 1900 to the late 1960’s. The third wave is the Islamic radicalism which came by way of the Mujahideens that participated in the Afghan Jihad against the Soviet invasion and from the overseas contract workers in the Middle East, who were either former Christian converted to Islam or those exposed to Wahabi doctrine of Islam, prominent in the oil boom in the1990’s. The First Wave of Islam and the Moro Resistance to Foreign Colonizer The first wave of “Islamization” came by way of Arab missionaries and Muslim traders that sprung the formation of Sultanates in Sulu and Maguindanao. The Sulu sultanate was founded by Sultan Sayyed Abu Bakr (pronounced Abubakar), known as Sharieful Hashem an Arab missionary 5 and Maguindanaon Sultanate founded by Sharif Kabungsuan, another Arab missionary in the later part of 14 th Century. 6 The critical component of the Sultanates were the formation of Islamic based politico-administrative system that provided a system of governance and defense structure. This provided the focus for resistance to foreign, Spanish or other expansion in the Moro territories for almost 300 years. A proof of an already existing developed political and administrative structure in the Moro territories were the Kiram- Bates Agreement of 1899 signed by Brig. General John Bates and Sultan Jamalul Kiram II of Jolo. The agreement was a mutual non-aggression pact which obligated the Americans to recognize the authority of the Sultan. 7 This agreement provided opportunity to the United States to gain a foothold in the Moro territories, which open the Moro society to the more liberal and democratic American system. This eventually brought about the decline of Sultanate influence. In less than 50 years American had accomplished what 300 years of Spanish occupation had failed to do, contain the collective resistance of Moro’s under the Sultan against foreign rule; and with relatively little violence. The relative harmony ended in 1936 when under protest from the Moro’s, the US ceded Moro territories to the new Philippine Commonwealth government and supported a policy of national integration. US Congressman Bacon 5 Website of the Royal Hashimite Sultanate of Sulu, accessed on February 25, 2008. 6 Ibid., p. 59. 7 Ibid., p. 45. Vol.1, No.2 2008 pp.49-76
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