Luzon Island needs ‘Synergy of Stakeholders’ in Combating Terrorism

Photo from Ilocandia

By Chester B Cabalza

Blogger's Notes:
Commentary of an Academic 
(Copyright @ 2019 by Chester B Cabalza. All Rights Reserved).

Four days ago, the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of Manaoag, beefed up its contingency measures. Yesterday, the city government of Tuguegarao, home to an 18th-century Baroque church and is a gateway to Cagayan Valley's Our Lady of Piat, has temporarily suspended a “no helmet, no travel” policy until August 20, due to threats of terrorism. This concern arises after at least two alleged terrorist crusaders from Sri Lanka have sneaked into the Philippines to train local militants on making bombs and attacking churches and other soft targets north of the Philippines.

Only last January 27^th this year, jihadi terrorist suicide bombers in Jolo’s Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, killed at least 20 churchgoers and 111 people. The use of improvised explosive devices containing ammonium nitrate pipe bombs that exploded inside and outside the church may be similar to the tactic used by terrorists in the 2002 Bali blasts that ebbed fear by inflicting additional casualties to first responders in a widespread act of violence to Filipinos in southern Mindanao. 

The Easter bombing in Colombo at churches and hotels in Sri Lanka, presumed to be an Islamic retaliation to Christians, after the bloody Christchurch mosque shootings in New Zealand by a white supremacist, confusedly created a breed of terrorists. This time, crusader cities is used by the ISIS in describing target areas to fuel what they call 'Bandar Crusade,' or war between Muslim and Christian, spotting on crusader churches to attack and bomb, for all its historic and heritage value to Christian believers.   

Trailing the holy grail of heritage churches from Vigan to Laoag, undeniably, the Ilocandia region prides itself the UNESCO world heritage house of worship in Paoay and other iconic cathedrals of former Spanish stronghold in Nueva Segovia. Not in the list is the Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia in Bicol region, south of Metro Manila, which will be celebrating its famed fluvial parade next month, could also be a possible target in sowing terror and violence from crusader terrorists.

Luzon in general, with all the strings of pilgrimage sites from northern and southern Luzon, is definitely vulnerable to any acts of Islamic terrorism, notwithstanding the fact, that these destinations are resilient to communist terrorism. The need for ‘synergy of stakeholders’ and the ‘whole of nation approach’ in preventing violent extremism and combating terrorism includes participation from the local government units in preparing contingency measures for civilians’ public safety and the community’s possible destruction from the havoc of terror as part of the human-induced disaster risk management, aside from the effective counterintelligence of the military and proper law enforcement of the police. We need to empower all stakeholders in peace-building and conflict prevention.  

Certainly the foreign fighter and suicide bombing threats have tremendously evolved. It has morphed into a global network that has turned into a cottage industry for small terror group actors. This vivid and wide-range networking of foreign fighters fostered by global religious brotherhood has infiltrated the online recruitment and tactical operations of terror clusters, notwithstanding the financial and intelligence support of each group. Ferocious female and children foreign warriors are used in this strategic warfare redounding to their own legal advantage for which the presence of local and international laws can protect them from felony.

This silverlining in understanding terrorism and violent extremism have brought a mix of socioeconomic marginalization, political corruption, and ignorance towards crusaders and foreign fighters which have created a time bomb for the Philippines, particularly in addressing the escalating security threat. Hence, the presence of foreign suicide bombers and fighters in the Philippine soil hinders the elusive peace hoped for by Christians, Muslims and the indigenous peoples in Mindanao. We have seen the shift in DAESH’s operational methods from caliphate-building to waging insurgency as terrorist groups persist and continue to demonstrate resilience by employing all means to spread deceptive and violent ideologies.

Finally, the holistic effort for the reintegration process of foreign suicide bombers and fighters should bring synergy of efforts from different stakeholders including the government, civil society and the local community. Education and equal employment opportunities should be addressed to widen the awareness of Filipino citizens drawn into poverty and ignorance. The Philippine government should also consider the maritime border security along its northern and southern coastlines that would determine who and what is allowed and denied in access to the state’s territory that creates a confluence of actions from various stakeholders in upholding its territorial integrity and national sovereignty.