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.
Philippines: Marawi, a year after Islamist siege, 50,000 still in temporary shelter
People in the battle-scarred Southern Philippines city of Marawi are trying to rebuild their homes and lives one year after the place was stormed by Islamist militants. On 23 May 2017, militants belonging to the Maute group, an affiliate of Islamic State, took over Marawi. In what followed, five […]
Philippines: Marawi Catholics accompany Muslims in Ramadan fast
Catholic and Muslim residents of the battle-scarred city of Marawi, in the southern Philippines, started the Islamic month of fasting together this week, as part of a local tradition dating back almost 40 years. As Ramadan began on 13 May, Christian families were encouraged to “accompany their Muslim neighbours in […]
Philippines cathedral bomb attack followed warning of ‘very real’ terrorist threat
Two people were injured after a bomb went off outside a Catholic cathedral in the southern Philippines a day after regional leaders heard that the risk of terrorist attacks remains “very real”. The explosion at St. Anthony’s cathedral took place on Sunday (29 April) in the City of Koronadal, capital […]
Philippines: Mindanao gets first deputy governor for Christians
The autonomous Muslim region in the southern Philippines has named its first deputy governor for Christians. The governor, Mujiv Hataman, said the appointment of Edgardo Ramirez, a known human rights activist and radio broadcaster, would ensure the voices of Christians – a minority in the region – are heard. After […]
Marawi’s rebuilding yet to start, despite warning that defeating extremism depends on it
Four months after the battle ended over the southern Philippines city of Marawi, Muslim leaders have called on people to stop posting divisive information on social media. Rumours were spread via social media in recent weeks, saying that the Catholic cathedral, which was severely damaged during the conflict last year, […]
Philippines: Marawi hostage recalls escape from IS killers
Tuesday 23 May 2017 started like any other day for Henry*, a carpenter in the southern Philippines city of Marawi. He was working upstairs in his home when he heard a knock at the door. He left his tools in the sawdust and went downstairs. He opened the door to […]
Philippines: Marawi’s rebuilding goes beyond infrastructure
Two months after the southern Philippines’ city of Marawi was liberated from Islamic extremists, hundreds of thousands of its inhabitants are still living in temporary shelters outside the city, not knowing where to start with the rebuilding of their lives, nor how to heal the scars. Fighting in Marawi broke […]
Philippines priest describes ‘nightmare’ ordeal in Marawi
The Catholic priest held captive by Islamic militants in the Philippines city of Marawi has described his 116 days in captivity as “a nightmare”, reports UCA News. Father Teresito Suganob spoke about his ordeal as he returned to the island of Mindanao for the first time since his release on […]
Philippines: Marawi liberated but root cause of extremism remains
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte declared “Marawi City liberated from the terrorist influence” on Tuesday (17 October) after the military killed two of the ring leaders behind the five-month assault on the city, but a religious freedom expert has warned the “killing of militant leaders does not destroy the fighters behind […]
Philippines: Islamic group vows to help Catholics with Marawi’s rebuilding
A programme launched by the Catholic Church, aimed at rebuilding the city of Marawi in the southern Philippines after months of fighting between Islamist groups and the military, has received support from the country’s largest Muslim rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. According to AsiaNews, the rebel group is […]