2 House lawmakers file measure to counter violent extremism

Two Mindanao lawmakers have filed a measure seeking to prevent and counter violent extremism in the country by aiming to reduce radicalism's appeal to the youth and promoting reintegration processes of extremists into society.

Deputy Speaker Mujiv Hataman (Basilan lone district) and Anak Mindanao Amihilda Sangcopan last Thursday filed House Bill No. 4585, or a measure Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE).

"Violent extremism has no place in a peace-loving society such as ours. It takes lives, hurts people, stunts progress and strikes fear into the heart of peaceful communities," Hataman and Sangcopan state in the bill's explanatory note.

Likewise, extremism "corrupts religious beliefs and distorts moral standards to serve a vicious end: that is to pursue a political cause through acts of terrorism," they added.

Further, they said, the measure is timely, with the recent bombings in Sulu that "saw the escalation of atrocities carried out by local extremist groups."

They were referring to the bombing of a military camp in Indanan, Sulu in June this year, leaving five people dead in what is considered to be the first confirmed case of a suicide bombing in the country perpetrated by a Filipino.

Two other recent bombings were perpetrated by violent extremist groups: one is in front of a public market in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat, on September 7 where seven people were hurt, and the other in Indanan, Sulu blast  on Sept. 9, where the lone fatality was the suicide bomber herself.

Under the bill, a returnee from violent extremist groups such as Abu Sayyaf, Maute Group and the like will be considered as such if he or she returns to the fold, reforms and reintegrates into society.

An inter-agency committee will be established to oversee the program under the law. It will be chaired by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of National Defense (DND) as co-chairs.

Benefits that returnees can expect include:

• Safety and security guarantees,
• Support to relocation or housing services for the returnees and their families,
• Monetary assistance to aid families while processing enrolment into the program,
• Livelihood assistance to improve their socio-economic conditions,
• Reintegration assistance,
• Educational and training assistance,
• Enrollment in the National Health Insurance Program,
• Assistance in registering with government entities,
• Healing and reconciliation initiatives to provide psycho-social support to returnees, and
• Other assistance as may be determined by the Inter-Agency Committee.

On the prevention side, the measure has provided an array of projects and activities that are envisioned to reduce or completely eliminate the appeal of radicalism to the people, especially the youth. These include activities promoting good governance, upholding the rule of law and eliminating corruption.

Likewise, the bill mandates the LGUs to engage communities through the following:

• Developing joint and participatory strategies to prevent the emergence of violent extremism,
• Protecting communities from recruitment,
• Support confidence-building measures at the community level,
• Adopting community-oriented policing models and programs that seek to solve local issues in partnership with the community,
• Developing early warning systems, and local and family-based mentorship programs focusing on vulnerable individuals or groups,
• Providing medical, psycho-social and legal service support in communities affected by violent extremism,
• Encouraging civic and professional associations to reach out to communities vulnerable or affected by violent extremism, and
• Supporting the establishment of networks of civil society organizations, youth, women’s organizations.

The PCVE bill draws inspiration from the success of the Program Against Violent Extremism (PAVE) implemented by Hataman when he was governor of the defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, where security forces and the local government units supported each other in fighting violent extremism. —LBG, GMA News