ISIS in Mindanao?

Climate Change and Terrorism, according to Alex Magno, a respected political analyst in the Philippine Star Daily, are the two most important concerns today of world leaders.

Terrorism is not new in Mindanao. The Abusayaf and other moro bandits and petty gangs for ransom have been branded as terrorists by media. The AFP and PNP could handle them. But what makes ISIS an important concern and possibly a threat?

By being allied with ISIS local terrorists can get financial aid, become more violent against civilians, increase their numbers and get more media attention. How do we respond as Church leaders and people?

We can learn from a historical fact. In 1996 a caliphate was being established in the hinterlands of Lanao del Sur with 300 Muslim‎ fundamentalists. Then Dr. Mahid Mutilan, an Aleem and respected Muslim religious leader, and I co-founded the Bishops-Ulama Conference composed of all Mindanao Catholic bishops and 24 Muslim ulama (plural of aleem). The Protestant bishops and pastors joined us 2 years later. Result?

The caliphate began to dissipate or diminish in membership as fundamentalists began to turn moderates and/or supported our organization which is now 20 years old, the only one of its kind in the world.

To prevent ISIS inspired or supported caliphate, there is need to strengthen the Bishops-Ulama Conference and widen its affiliate organizations, the Imam-Priests-Pastors Forum and the Mindanao Youth Corps. There is need also to reactivate the Archdiocesan Center for Ecumenical and Interreligious Dialogue (ACEID).