The Supreme Court yesterday heard oral arguments for and against the proclamation by President Duterte of martial law in Mindanao. Four groups have questioned martial law before the highest court. They are led by six opposition congressmen.
In his answer to the petition of the oppositors to martial law, the President’s lawyer, Solicitor General Jose Calida, has amply acquitted himself. Against the speculative arguments of the oppositors, Calida has cited facts and figures to bolster the necessity of martial law in Mindanao. His narration of facts is so compelling it sends chills down the spine of one reading it.
We are in perilous times, thanks to ISIS, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, which is seeking to establish a base in Mindanao and to eventually convert the Philippines into its caliphate and from there, expand to Southeast Asia.
After 20 days of fighting in Marawi, the toll has been 191 militants killed, including eight foreigners; nine militants captured, 58 government forces killed (including 10 by friendly fire), more than 110 government forces wounded, and up to 38 civilians killed. The toll will rise. The war in the south shows no signs of waning; the ISIS atrocities show no signs of stopping.
“The siege of Marawi City on May 23, 2017 is a pivotal event in a grander scheme to dismember Mindanao from the rest of the Philippine territory and pledge its allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria,” writes the SolGen in his 3,400-word reply to the anti-martial law petitioners. Here is his narration:
ISIS was formed sometime in 2014 by the members of the Al Qaeda terrorist group in Iraq. In the ongoing Syrian conflict, Al Qaeda in Iraq moved to Syria and broke away from Al Qaeda to form ISIS, also known as DAESH.
Leading the ISIS is Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who now claims to be the caliph, or head of ISIS. He has successfully and rapidly established the Islamic State or Khalifa in Syria and Iraq. To be part of the Khalifa or caliphate, mujahideen or Muslims who proclaim themselves as warriors for the faith, pledge their bay’ah or allegiance to the caliph al-Baghdadi.Through their bay’ah to the caliph, they oblige themselves to unify under the banner of one caliphate.
ISIS has propagated its plan to impose its will and influence worldwide. To do so, it captures and administers territories. These conquered territories are collectively referred to as a caliphate. The caliphate is divided into different wilayah or provinces led by a wali. Each wali has a complete bureaucracy in place to exercise control over areas they occupy. A wali is provided a specific amount of financial support from the ISIS core to enable the wilayah to operate.
The success of ISIS in conquering territories means, too, that it has the capacity to acquire fighters and modern weaponry. The United Nations has labeled ISIS as the world’s “wealthiest organization.” ISIS derives its income from operating seized oil fields, obtaining protection money from businesses, and profits from black market transactions. In 2015 alone, ISIS made $500 million.
The wealth and power of ISIS not only enabled the rapid expansion of its caliphate, but also inspired other radical Islamic groups worldwide. These groups commit atrocities in the name of the Islamic State in order to seek recognition and support—financial or otherwise—from ISIS.
The notoriety of the ISIS in Middle East has attracted the attention of extremist groups in the Philippines. The AFP has obtained ISIS’ propaganda material, Dabiq, which reports that as early as November 2014, a number of groups in the Philippines had already pledged their allegiance to the caliphate.
Four ISIS-inspired groups operate in different parts of Mindanao. These groups have formed alliances for the purpose of establishing a wilayah in Mindanao. They are:
1. The Abu-Sayyaf Group (“ASG”) from Basilan, led by Isnilon Hapilon (“Hapilon”);
2. Ansarul Khilafah Philippines (“AKP”) from Saranggani and Sultan Kudarat. The group is led by Mohammad Jaafar Maguid;
3. The Maute Group from Lanao del Sur led by Omar Maute; and,
4. Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (“BIFF”), based in the Liguasan Marsh, Maguindanao.
These groups are notorious for committing numerous bombings, assassinations, and extortion activities in the country, especially in Mindanao. In the past, these groups had been operating separately and independently. Due to their uniform pledge of allegiance to ISIS and their support for the establishment of a caliphate, an alliance has been formed between and among these groups (the ISIS-inspired local rebel groups).
On April 2016, the ISIS’ weekly newsletter, Al Naba, announced the appointment of Abu Sayyaf leader Hapilon as the emir or leader of all ISIS forces in the Philippines. A June 21, 2016 video by ISIS entitled “The Solid Structure” hails Hapilon as “the mujahid” authorized to lead the soldiers of the Islamic State in the Philippines.”
On Dec. 31, 2016, Hapilon and about 30 of his followers, including eight foreign terrorists, were surveilled in Lanao del Sur. According to military intelligence, Hapilon performed a symbolic hijra or pilgrimage to unite with the ISIS-inspired groups in mainland Mindanao.
This was geared towards realizing the five-step process of establishing a wilayah, which are: first, the pledging of allegiance to the Islamic State; second, the unification of all terrorist groups who have given bay’ah or their pledge of allegiance; third, the holding of consultations to nominate a wali or a governor of a province; fourth, the achievement of consolidation for the caliphate through the conduct of widespread atrocities and uprisings all across Mindanao; and finally,the presentation of all of these to the ISIS leadership for approval or recognition.
After the ISIS appointment of Hapilon as emir, he and the ISIS-inspired local rebel groups committed multiple atrocities resulting in the wounding and killing of military and civilian personalities. These atrocities came in the wake of the consolidation of forces of around one hundred five (105) rebel members of the combined groups of the Abu Sayyaf, the Maute Group, the BIFF, and foreign terrorists.