Terrorism in the Philippines

Terrorism is a major social issue in the Philippines linked to the Moro conflict and the communist rebellion.[1] The country ranks in 18th place on the Global Terrorism Index's 2023 list of countries most affected by terrorism.[2]

## Overview

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Wanted poster in Cebu displaying the photos and names of local terrorist suspects.

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.

Terrorist incidents in the Philippines[7][8][9][10] Year | Number of
incidents | Deaths | Injuries

|
|
|

2019 | 348 | 284 | 393
2018 | 424 | 297 | 343
2017 | 692 | 218 | +1,400
2016 | 633 | 411 | 720
2015 | 717 | 444 | 752
2014 | 597 | 472 | 723
2013 | 651 | 432 | 666
2012 | 247 | 210 | 440
2011 | 149 | 127 | 224
2010 | 205 | 155 | 231
2009 | 230 | 152 | 354
2008 | 275 | 220 | 388
2007 | 65 | 115 | 404
2006 | 58 | 60 | 163
2005 | 25 | 49 | 149
2004 | 32 | 206 | 160
2003 | 107 | 288 | 531
2002 | 48 | 125 | 342
2001 | 50 | 154 | 274
2000 | 132 | 190 | 643
1999 | 31 | 45 | 190
1998 | 18 | 6 | 85
1997 | 57 | 98 | 273
1996 | 61 | 95 | 143
1995 | 63 | 201 | 102
1994 | 72 | 126 | 198
1993 | 8 | 56 | 216
1992 | 162 | 395 | 465
1991 | 162 | 432 | 247
1990 | 320 | 457 | 340
1989 | 156 | 393 | 323
1988 | 210 | 550 | 256
1987 | 160 | 404 | 485
1986 | 80 | 322 | 355
1985 | 124 | 452 | 377
1984 | 43 | 262 | 108
1983 | 16 | 101 | 30
1982 | 38 | 139 | 250
1981 | 31 | 176 | 362
1980 | 60 | 163 | 540
1979 | 50 | 107 | 76
1978 | 36 | 128 | 193
1977 | 2 | 0 | 0
1976 | 10 | 47 | 73
1975 | 4 | 1 | 45
1974 | 1 | 3 | 0
1973 | 0 | 0 | 0
1972 | 7 | 2 | 1
1971 | 4 | 0 | 0
1970 | 10 | 41 | 13

## Legal aspects

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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]

## Recent trends

[edit]

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.[19] 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,[20] more casualties than caused by bombings and other attacks in Indonesia, Morocco, Spain, Turkey, or Britain during the same period.[19]

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.[20]

Under the Bongbong Marcos administration in June 2023, the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) designated four leaders of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA), a coalition of groups with links to the CPP-NPA,[21] 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.[22] 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.[23]

## List of terrorist incidents

[edit]

Main article: List of terrorist incidents in the Philippines

## See also

[edit]

* List of terrorist incidents in the Philippines
* Terrorism in Davao City
* Insurgency in the Philippines
* Moro conflict
* War on terror
* Philippines–United States relations

## References

[edit]

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 25 May 2023. Retrieved 17 August 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 14 March 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 11 July 2025.
10. ^ dlewis (11 January 2021). "Terrorism in the Philippines » 2020 Global Terrorism Index". Vision of Humanity. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
11. ^ "Philippine court designates Abu Sayyaf a terrorist group". Sun Star. 11 September 2015. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
12. ^ Moaje, Marita (17 June 2020). "Lacson, Esperon cite weaknesses of Human Security Act". Philippine News Agency. Archived from the original on 12 July 2020. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
13. ^ "Philippines: Dangerous anti-terror law yet another setback for human rights". Amnesty International. 3 July 2020. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
14. ^ "Supreme Court upholds with finality most of anti-terror law". Rappler. 26 April 2022. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
15. ^ "SC voids anti-terror law power to designate terrorists based on other country's request". Rappler. 9 December 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
16. ^ "Supreme Court voids anti-terror law's 'killer' caveat on 'harmful' dissent". Rappler. 9 December 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
17. ^ Pulta, Benjamin (13 July 2023). "ATC designates 6 alleged CPP-NPA members as 'terrorists'". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
18. ^ Maitem, Jeoffrey (22 September 2022). "Philippine court junks govt petition to designate communist party as terrorist group". Benar News. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
19. ^ a b Human Rights Watch Lives Destroyed: Attacks on Civilians in the Philippines. July 2007
20. ^ a b Carlos H. Conde, The New York Times 400 killed by terrorism in Philippines since 2000, report says 30 July 2007
21. ^ "Philippine Journal of Linguistics". Linguistic Society of the Philippines. 1987: 82. ISSN 0048-3796. Retrieved 20 September 2023. `{{cite journal}}`: Cite journal requires `|journal=` (help)
22. ^ "Gov't designates 4 Cordillera IP activists as 'terrorists'". CNN Philippines. 11 July 2023. Archived from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
23. ^ "Anti-Terrorism Council defends tagging Teves as terrorist". Rappler. 1 August 2023.

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