Since President Rodrigo Duterte took office in June 2016, much of the world’s attention towards the Philippines has been on Duterte’s take-no-prisoners war on drugs, which has resulted in thousands of deaths. The campaign has overshadowed the country’s long-standing struggle with the Islamist-led independence movement on the southern island of Mindanao, where the Islamic State group wants to create a “province” of its “caliphate”. It was in Mindanao in May 2017 that Islamists pledging allegiance to IS besieged the city of Marawi, abducted a Catholic priest and several other Christians, set fire to buildings including a cathedral and Protestant-run college, beheaded a police chief, and erected the black flags of IS. Christians in the south fear that a proposed peace deal between the government and Mindanao’s Islamists will legitimise anti-Christian harassment. Already, the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches has reported that some recent converts from Islam have been abused by their families and communities.

Sort By date
Filter by Tag
Category

Philippines: Marawi conflict ‘not only about religion’, study finds

Last year’s conflict that displaced 98% of Marawi's population, was not only caused by religious violence, a study finds. (Photo: Getty Images)

A study by International Alert concluded that the armed conflict in the southern Philippines city of Marawi last year was not only about religion. The findings were released by the independent peacebuilding group in the capital, Manila, on Tuesday (2 October). “Evidence shows that membership in extremist groups was prompted […]

Read More

Philippines priest celebrates first year of ‘second life’ after escape

Fr. Teresito “Chito” Suganob in a still taken from a video shortly after his release.

On the anniversary of his escape, the Catholic priest held hostage for four months by an Islamist group in the southern Philippines city of Marawi says he has since found a new lease of life, reports Catholic news agency UCAN. Father Teresito Suganob was one of around 200 people taken […]

Read More

Philippines: Mindanao Christians present ‘policy agenda’ for new Muslim region

Christians form a minority in southern Philippines and policy proposals dealt with their concerns once they become citizens of an autonomous Muslim region. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

Christian leaders have submitted a “Christian policy agenda” to the transitory body that will facilitate the formation of a new autonomous Muslim region in the southern Philippines, reports the Catholic news website UCAN. The agenda, put together after consultations last month in several areas set to become part of the […]

Read More

Will new Muslim region in southern Philippines bring peace?

Will new Muslim region in southern Philippines bring peace?

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has called on all communities in the southern Mindanao region to support the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) that is to facilitate the creation of an autonomous Muslim region. During a ceremony on Monday, 6 August, he urged the local population “to actively participate in constructive discussions […]

Read More

Philippines parliament approves bill for autonomous Bangsamoro

The Bangsamoro Basic Law is seen as key to ending decades of conflict and stopping the growth of Islamic extremism in the southern region of Mindanao where just last year the city of Marawi was attacked by a militant group. (Photo: Getty Images)

The Philippines parliament yesterday (30 May) approved a bill that will give greater autonomy to the southern region of Mindanao, as reported by Reuters. The approval of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) is another step towards the creation a new autonomous territory called Bangsamoro, named after its ‘Moro’, or Muslim, […]

Read More

Philippines: Catholic priest, Marawi hostage for almost 4 months, tries to find healing

Fr. Teresito “Chito” Suganob in a still taken from an IS propaganda video posted on 30 May last year.

One year after Islamist militants stormed the southern Philippines city of Marawi and 8 months since his escape from his kidnappers, Catholic priest Father Teresito Suganob is trying to find healing for himself and his nation, reported UCAN. Father Suganob was one of around 200 people who were taken hostage […]

Read More