Violence in ARMM: Highest number recorded in Maguindanao

MANILA, Philippines - A majority of the cases of violence in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) from 2011 to 2013 were recorded in Maguindanao, a Violence Intensity Index report released by the International Alert Philippines (IAP) on Tuesday showed.

“In a span of three years, political violence caused the death of 862 persons, with 973 wounded, 58 missing or kidnapped, and the displacement of more than 22,433 families,” the report stated.

“There were more cases of violence connected to horizontal conflict as against vertical conflict,” according to Francisco Lara Jr., IAP country manager.

Horizontal conflict pertains to violent struggles between clans, ethnic groups and rival insurgent factions, among others. Vertical conflict is insurgency or separatist-related.

At least 60 percent of the perpetrators of violence were civilians, followed by government security groups at 19 percent. Threat groups comprised six percent and rebel groups, five percent.

The report showed that the peak months for violence were in May, August and November.

IAP is a member of the International Alert, a global peace-building organization operating in 25 countries in Africa, South and Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the South Caucasus, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa.

Aside from the World Bank (WB), IAP is also a partner of the United Nations, Asian Institute of Management, Commission for Filipino Migrant Workers, Engineers without Borders, Indigenous Peoples Center for Development Services and Mindanao Business Council.   

WB acting country director Chiyo Kanda said the report would lead to a reassessment and re-designing of management strategies toward peace and development in the region, in view of the ongoing negotiations for a Bangsamoro law.

“Together, we can make the system work in coordination with the university and the academe, and building local capacity for conflict analysts,” the WB official said.