Terrorist OR Revolutionary Armed Group?

Just a reminder that in 2002, Bush has considered placing the MILF on the U.S. list of terrorist organizations, until in 2003 then-MILF head Salamat Hashim (now deceased) wrote a letter to the US President. 1/n https://www.philstar.com/opinion/2008/08/01/76398/milf-letter-bush-sped-settlement https://twitter.com/Maverick112018/status/1275366216756912128

To be fair to GMA, she took a different tack from Erap's All-Out War vs MILF. Despite accusations of MILF having links with Al-Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah, GMA has chosen not to classify it as a ‘terrorist organization’ and decided to continue with peace talk even if bumpy. 2/n

That decision of GMA admin to prioritize peace process over military action & not to tag the MILF as 'terrorist' bore fruit in 2005 when MILF leadership laid down policy of cutting off all links with JI, Abu Sayyaf & other terror groups (Quimpo 2016). 3/n https://www.academia.edu/33214552/Mindanao_Nationalism_Jihadism_and_Frustrated_Peace

While peace talks hit a wall when MoA-AD faced constitutional crisis, the prudence PH govt vis-a-vis MILF to not mix-up definitions/approaches to #insurgency & #terrorism ensured MILF remains on negotiating table & as tactical ally in ensuring FTOs do not gain much ground. 4/n

If PH & US govts had taken short-cut of tagging MILF as 'terrorists,' MILF have spiraled into the network of JI and AQ, and we will not be where we are now – with a functioning transition regional govt, ongoing decommissioning arms and fighters & relative peace in the #BARMM. 5/n

The peace process, therefore, was undeniably more effective in insulating #Mindanao from transnational terrorism, than the #WarOnTerror ever was. And it was botched CT operations (e.g. #Mamasapano & #Marawi) that have undermined/delayed its gains. 6/n https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/human-rightscompliant-counterterrorism/counterinsurgency-and-the-war-on-terror-in-the-philippines/5E2085020F2738AE36EFEB70C0B27AED

Negotiating w NSAGs can indeed lead to their legitimation, but this very legitimation may offer these groups alternatve
path & chance to transform into nonviolent actors. That was the lesson w #MILF. Let's not forget that when talking about #CPP #NPA. -end https://www.law.upenn.edu/live/files/5141-legitimacy-and-complexity-in-terrorist-conflicts