RESEARCH ON YOUTH VULNERABILITY TO VIOLENT EXTREMISM IN THE

AUTONOMOUS REGION IN MUSLIM MINDANAO

A REACTION PAPER

Presented to
Prof. Darwin J. Manubag
Political Science Department
College of Arts and Social Sciences
MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology
Iligan City, Philippines 9200

In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Course
Political Science 114 (A2) – Theories and Approaches in Peace, Conflict and
Development

Melchizedek B. Omandam

October 2017

Introduction
 The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation defines violent extremism as

“encouraging, condoning, justifying, or supporting the commission of a violent act

to achieve political, ideological, religious, social, or economic goals”. This problem

shocks the global arena of politics. In fact, the United Nations Secretary- General

on its Counter-Terrorism Strategy reports,

“Violence Extremism undermines our collective efforts towards maintaining

peace and security, fostering sustainable development, protecting human rights,

promoting the rule of law and taking humanitarian action”

No country is immune to its impact. It hinders a society, including all its

sectors, from developing and it destabilizes its internal cohesion. Several

countries, regions, organizations, and institutions around the globe have not been

safe from experiencing the same, and therefore conducted studies on its - Violent

Extremism – concepts, aims and goals, mechanics and strategies, how these

violent extremist groups operate, and who are its targets. The Institute for

Autonomy and Governance to be specific composed of its team: Research

Director Atty. Benedicto R. Bacani and Team Leader Dr. Ofelia Durante. The

research focused on the youth sector as their subject; Youth Vulnerability to

Violent Extremism in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. The research

investigated on the vulnerability of the young Muslims in ARMM to radicalization

and recruitment to Violent Extremism (VE). In order to find an answer to that, the

researchers have conducted research activities aiming to find out: what are the

attitudes of the youth towards VE, why they believe people join, and how

knowledgeable are these youth about violent extremism.

Body
 The study has shown in its finding and analysis, which I find problematic; it

shows that there was no large-scale radicalization and there was no mass

acceptance to violent extremism. Despite the basic the understanding of Islamic

Principles, which is a good thing, there however is a limited understanding of the

concepts of violent extremism among the youth making them vulnerable to easy

indoctrinazation in the near future to possible terms not familiar to them. What is

one the findings that we should be a little worried about, is the fact that there are

minorities among the subjects that sympathize for the violent extremist groups

known to them, for the reason that these groups according them, are only

“defending Islam, and fighting against oppression”. Making these youths leaning

towards violent extremism, and it is not just limited to reason based on religion

that they uphold, structural violence – poverty, unequal opportunity to government

services and employment - is also one the drivers of people sympathizing and

resulting to joining violent extremism. Though only a few among these youths

believes that joining such cause is the only avenue to solve - earn a living and

achieves their dreams and wants – the injustice they are experiencing, it is still a

problem that needs to be addressed.

The researchers have concluded the study with considerable

recommendations. However, some of these I find, though well and specifically

formulated, too theoretical, hard to implement, and apparently will cause more

problems and than solutions. The Fast Tracking Passage and Implementation

of the Bangsamoro Basic Law/ Enabling law/New Autonomy Law to be

particular, that “would address poverty and the lack of development through

efficient, effective, and responsive self governance by way of Implementing

peace agreements with the MNLF and MILF” is problematic for the reason of:
 Firstly, though it assures the Bangsamoro of its right to self-governance,

however under the Draft Bangsamoro Basic Law, the Bangsamoro

Government shall have the primary responsibility over public order and safety

(Art. 5 Sec. 2 No 14). This leaves the Central Government with its Armed

Forces and National Police safeguarding only the region’s external security

(Art. 5 Sec. 1 No 1). So, if there are dubious characters in the region that

needed to be arrested the Central Government must coordinate and cooperate

with the Bangsamoro Government before it can be done (Art. 5 Sec. 2 No. 14).

This is also similar with what happened to Marawi City. It was lack of

coordination and cooperation between its local police and the central

government in the investigation and capture of rumored Violent Extremist

Group preparing its attack on the city, the only difference is Marawi City is not

a autonomous region, how much more in the Bangsamoro, if it be approved.

As if with coordination and cooperation it can really be done! (Secillano, J.,

n.d.); and lastly,  it legalizes the existence of the MILF. Fr. Jerome Secillano,

MPA on his article: “Can Peace be Attained through the Bangsamoro Basic

Law?” states:

“Commander Mohagher Iqbal nailed it on the head when he said that

“the MILF remains a revolutionary group in the absence of the BBL”. From

being a revolutionary group, its members now stand a chance to be the

lawfully recognized leaders of the Bangsamoro entity once the BBL is passed.

If this happens, I am curious as to how the MILF will treat the other armed

groups such as the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), Bangsamoro

Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), Abu Sayyaf and the newly-organized Justice
 for Islamic Movement (JIM). Will the Bangsamoro police go toe to toe with

them or at least exercise its lawful authority to apprehend or arrest them?”

The worse that can happen is to make Mindanao a haven of revolutionary Muslim

groups, both local and international, that harbor the aspiration of establishing a

Muslim caliphate through terroristic activities or Islamic revolution. These groups

operate through a network. The Draft BBL says, “The Bangsamoro Parliament

shall adopt the official flag, emblem and anthem of the Bangsamoro” (Art II Sec.

3). Not being skeptical, but for me, independent Bangsamoro will make its youth

more vulnerable to Violent Extremist Recruitment due to unsupervised

movements in the region which will result to possible breeding ground for more

violent extremism in the country.

In conclusion, despite all the criticizing, a remedy must be presented to not

only be labeled as critic but also to be part of the solution. The workable and

apparently effective solution to lessening, or much better, making youth certainly

invulnerable to Violent Extremism is a wide a nationwide standardization of Torils

and Madaris. Not only limiting to Moderate Islamic Education, but to individual

deeper studying and internalizing of what Islam really is, to realize and correct the

misinterpretations of these Violent Extremist Groups of the Qur’anic basis of their

cause. Most importantly information dissemination of the deceptions being

practiced by violent extremist group around the world – of the concepts and

misrepresentations being used.

 References:

 Research on Youth Vulnerability to Violent Extremism in the Autonomous

Region in Muslim Mindanao.(2016). Institute for Autonomy and Governance.

Government of the Netherlands.

 What is Violent Extremism? (n.d.) Future Without Violence. . Retrieved on Sept

30, 2017 at 5:32 PM retrieved from:

https://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/wp-content/uploads/FWV_blueprint_3-

What-is-VE.pdf

 United Nations, Report of the Secretary-General, Plan of Action to Prevent

Violent Extremism, United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, General

Assembly, p. 4, December 24, 2015. Retrieved on Sept 30, 2017 at 5:32 PM

retrieved from: https://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/wp-

content/uploads/FWV_blueprint_3-What-is-VE.pdf

 Secillano, J. (n.d.) Can Peace be Attained through the Bangsamoro Basic

Law. CPCB News. Retrieved on Sept 30, 2017 at 5:32 PM retrieved from:

http://www.cbcpnews.com/cbcpnews/?p=52393