THE NEW STATE

           The turn over of power to Filipinos pushed through without  the approval of the Moro people. The  Inauguration of Philippine Independence was attended by Commissioner Paul V. McNutt, Senator Millard S. Tydings, Congressman Jasper Bell, Governor-General Francis Burton Harrison and General Mac Arthur on 04 July 1946(14). The Moros were unable to launched armed resistance because the war and confrontations depleted their resources, arms , and strength.

        As a new state, the country was faced with various problems, from political to economic. The Hukbalahap guerillas turned into Communists bearing Maoist ideology posed a great threat in the seat of power and became the focus of Government attention  instead of giving what is due for the Moros after being allies in fighting the Japanese. The influx of settlers and corporations continued and were able to secure vast lands after the war.

COMPANIES GRANTED WITH VAST LANDS

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 THE RESURGENCE OF RESISTANCE

          The Government troops started engaging in 1947 with 2 Moros, Saubing and Binang of Sulu. The two attracted followers to join them in resisting the new state. Hadji Kamlon followed in 1948 with more than a hundred followers. For almost a decade of armed struggle or rebellion as considered by the Government, Kamlon was not captured even challenging the 5th Battalion Combat Team. Kamlon finally gave up because of old age. In Lanao, Abdulmajid Panondiongan, Tawantawan, and Sappari Sumansang failed to sustain the armed struggle. In Cotabato, Disumimba Rashid became the most wanted man for charge of banditry in the areas of Dinaig and Datu Piang.

          The struggle of Kamlon caught the attention of Legislative and formed a Special House Committee . Senator Domocao Alonto, Congressman Luminog Mangalen, Congressman Ombra Amilbangsa formed the Inquiring Body. The Committee concluded that :1) The Moros must be made to feel as part of nation and 2) Development Programs must be implemented in the region including economic, political and educational.

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GOVERNMENT RESPONSE

          Thus, in 1957 the Commission on National Integration or CNI was created by virtue of Republic Act 1888 with a task to advance the development and integration of non-Christians. The CNI failed to fulfill its task because of delays in release, and cut  in the appropriated budget. In addition, the beliefs, customs and traditions of these non-Christian will not fit with Christian ideology.

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THE JABIDAH MASSACRE   

          Philippine Army trainers lined up and executed 28 Moro recruits after refusing to take part in Operation Merdeka. The objective of Merdeka was to invade and reclaim Sabah from Malaysia. The incident tagged as Jabidah Massacre shocked the whole nation and angered Malaysian Prime Minister Datu Tum Mustapha Haron, and Moro leaders like Cotabato Governor Datu Udtog Matalam. 

THE MOROS CRIED FOUL

           As a response to discrimination and genocide act by the Government, Governor Matalam formed the Muslim Independence Movement and later renamed to Mindanao Independence Movement or MIM. The MIM appealed to the United Nations by forwarding a Manifesto to Secretary General U Thant of Burma. 

          The MIM was shortlived but its legacy was alive in Moro youths and professional. Traditional Moro leaders sneaked 90 Moro men to Sabah, Malaysia to undergo military training. The trainees returned in Mindanao and formed the Moro National Liberation Front or MNLF. The MNLF was founded by former University of the Philippines Professor Nurillaj Misuari in 1969 with assistance from Libya. The 1994 estimated strength was 14, 080 fighters mostly members of Tausogs, Samal and Yakan tribes.

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WILD WEST IN MINDANAO 

          Threaten by the turn of events, the Christian settlers started to arm themselves to form armed groups or vigilantes as a  countermeasure. One of the notorious vigilante group was the Christian extremist Ilaga group,once headed by Norberto Manero Jr.. The word Ilaga is a Visayan vernacular which means "rat", the voracious creature. Members of the group were required to use amulets in place of bullet proof vest. The group's first encounter was on 22 March 1970. Feliciano Luces led Tiruray tribesmen in attacking an isolated Moro village in Upi, Cotabato and left 6 people dead with cut ears, nipples and plucked eyeballs. Feliciano Luces, also known as "Commander Toothpick" was believed to be the leader. Associated Press (AP) reported that it is founded by 7 Christian Mayors( Wenceslao dela Cerna, Pacifica dela Cerna, Nicolas Dequina, Bonifacio Tejada, Conrado Lemana, Jose Escribano, and Esteban Doruelo, the respective Mayors of Alamada, Libungan, Midsayap, Malang, Tulunan, Tacurong and Pigkawayan.) and Captain Manuel Tronco of Philippine Constabulary. A later recruit, Lieutenant Colonel Carlos B. Cajelo took over the leadership in 1972 after the ambush of Mayor Tronco. Lieutenant Colonel Cajelo won the Gubernatorial race over Datu Udtog Matalam in 1971.

          The Ilaga expanded in Cotabato, Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, and Zamboanga del Sur, and Ilonggo members dominated the group. This is attributed to their leader Lieutenant Colonel Cajelo, an Ilonggo. The Moros believed that the emergence of Ilaga was part of genocidal campaign of the Government. This even became strong when Commander Toothpick paid a visit to Malacañan Palace in late 1970.

          In August 1971, another group emerge and saw action in Buldon, the" Black shirts" to counter the Ilaga. After days of fighting, President Marcos sent emissaries to negotiate the surrender of Bangon Aratuc. Aratuc sent his son named Tomatic Aratuc and then he followed to meet President Marcos in Manila. On 20 August 1971, Ilaga siege Ampatuan Cotabato.In Maneba also in Ampatuan, two Malaysian trained Moro fought the Ilaga in series of battles. After a month the battle was transferred in Lanao del Norte now between the Ilaga and the "Barracudas". Christian and Moro civilians were caught in crossfire producing 50,000 evacuees in nearby towns as far as crossing the sea in Dumaguete City.

          These armed group now at disposal of warring political parties and/or logging company owners. Fighting resumed in Cotabato between Barracudas in disposal of Congressman Ali Dimaporo and Ilaga in disposal of Governor Arsenio Quibranza. On November 1971, 40 unarmed Maranao Muslims were massacred in a military checkpoint in Tacub  Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte. The victims were returning home after casting their votes when executed.

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ETHNIC CLEANSING

          The massacre and fighting caught the attention of whole nation as well as other Muslim countries. In January 1972, the Government played host to 8 Muslim Ambassadors on tour to Mindanao to observe the charge of genocidal campaign in Mindanao. The third Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (ICMF) requested the Philippine Government to protect the Muslims in the Philippines. Again in July 1972 Libyan and Egyptian delegations toured Mindanao and concluded that there was no strong evidence to support the genocide charge, but clearly there was a war between Christians and Muslims.

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THE IRON FIST

           The growing insurgency, chaos, demonstration and President Marcos's ambition led to Presidential Proclamation 1081 placing the entire nation under Martial Law on 21 September 1972. 

       " I, Ferdinand E. Marcos, President, by virtue of power vested on me by the Constitution, I am placing the entire nation under the rule of Martial Law and being the Commander in Chief, I order the Armed Forces to maintain peace and order nationwide."

          These words marked the start of Military Rule that lasted for more than 8 years. After a month from Martial Law declaration, the MNLF launched the first offensive against the Government in Marawi City. The Philippine Government  stepped up its Peace effort in 1973 by the creation of Southern Philippines Development Administration or SPDA and Amanah Bank to propagate entrepreneurship among Muslim community. Meanwhile , the 4th ICMF was held in Benghazi, Libya and recognized the Moro problem as internal to an Independent state. President Marcos proclaimed the 1973 Constitution in the same year.

          The 5th ICFM was held in February 1974 recognizing the MNLF as the official and sole representative of Moro people and urged President Marcos to settle the conflict in peaceful negotiation. On March 1974, Nurillaj Misuari together with his deputy Salamat Hashim held first meeting with the GRP or Government of Republic of the Philippines. The agenda of the negotiation was the proposed autonomy or the self governance within the framework of Philippine sovereignty and territorial integrity. The definition of autonomy was a product of Committee of Four, the Republic of Senegal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia( al-Mamlaka al-'Arabiya as -Sa'udiya), Somali Democratic Republic( Jamhuriyadda Dimugradiga Somaliya), and Libya( al-Jamahiriyah al-Libya al Shabiya al-Ishtirakiya). At the same time, the Philippine Government opened embassies in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates( Ittibad al-Imarat al-Arabiyah), Islamic Republic of Iran( Jomhori-e-Islam-e-Iran), Republic of Lebanon( al-Jumhouriya al- Lubnamiya), Kuwait( Dowlat al- Kuwait) and Algeria( al- Jumhuriya al- Jazairiya ad- Dimuqratiya ash- Shabiya).

          In 1976, Marcos held meeting with Organization of Islamic Countries( OIC) Secretary-General Karim Gaye in Kenya and invited the Committee of Four to Manila for a tour in Zamboanga City. On 23 December 1976 Misuari and GRP representative Undersecretary Carmelo Barbero signs the Tripoli Agreement providing the autonomy in 13 provinces and 9 cities in Mindanao.

          A general ceasefire was put on effect by January 1977. Marcos approves the establishment of Shari'ah courts as part of National courts. Peace talks resumed in February but MNLF demands that the 13 provinces be declared as autonomous immediately. Both parties reached deadlock when Marcos said that the declaration must pass Constitutional procedures including a plebiscite. On 12 March 1977, First Lady Imelda Marcos flew to Libya to seek Quaddafi's help. Quadaffi suggested a provisional government but Misuari refused to lead the provisional government. Marcos issued Presidential Proclamation 1628 declaring the 13 provinces as Autonomous. The following month, the plebiscite was held on 17 April with  10 provinces voted for autonomy. Marcos divide the  10 provinces into 2 autonomous regions, regions 9 and 12.

          Nur Misuari attended the 8th ICFM in Tripoli, Libya and addressed the conference. The Ministers and delegations were disappointed about the negotiations and pushed for further negotiations with the GRP. A conspiracy divided the MNLF top officials. On 26 December 1977, Salamat Hashim took over the MNLF leadership with the support of Rashid Lucman, Dumacao Alonto and former Senator Salipada Pendatun. Misuari expelled Hashim Salamat resulting in split in Arab support. Egypt backed Salamat and Libya backed Misuari. Salamat went to Cairo, Egypt to form the new MNLF whila Lucman and Pendatun formed the Bangsa Moro Liberation Organization.     

          GRP and MNLF resumed negotiations but chose Hashim Salamat as the representative for the MNLF. The 9th ICFM was held in Dakar, Senegal on 17 April 1978. The ICMF recognized Nur Misuari as Chairman and Spokesperson for the MNLF. Egypt prevented Hashim Salamat from attending the conference to ease tensions with Libya. Egypt and Libya fought air and land battles along the border in July 1977. In Sulu, General Teodulfo Bautista and 33 soldiers arrived as acceptance of the MNLF leader's invitation to peace dialogue but instead they were ambushed. Albeit the incident, GRP continued negotiation with Hashim Salamat in Cairo on 1979. Nur Misuari revert to secession in Mindanao. Abul Khayr Alonto, cofounder of MNLF joined the GRP panel. 

           President Marcos toured the new OIC Secretary-General Habib Chatti in 1980 to Mindanao. The 11 ICFM was held in Islamabad, Pakistan and urged the GRP to implement the 1976 Tripoli Agreement. On 17 January 1981, Marcos lifted the Martial Law and held plebiscite on 07 April 1981 to amend the 1973 Constitution. A Presidential Election was held on 16 June 1981 and the New Republic( Bagong Lipunan) was inaugurated on 30 June 1981. Misuari failed to convince the 12 ICFM in Baghdad, Iraq and the delegates urged him to negotiate with the GRP.

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THE END OF MARCOS RULE

          Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. was released from prison and visit Nur Misuari in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Senator Aquino promised support for the Tripoli Agreement. Meanwhile, MNLF forces killed 120 soldiers in Pata, Jolo. On 21 August 1983, Senator Aquino returned from exile in United States. Upon arrival in Manila International Airport( NAIA today) , the Senator was assassinated. The 14th ICFM held in Dacca, Bangladesh appealed to Moro people to unite and support the Tripoli Agreement.

          Hashim Salamat officially changed the New MNLF into MILF or Moro Islamic Liberation Front in 1984 with the objective of creating an Islamic Community. The MILF had 120,000 mujahideen( holy warriors) fighters armed and unarmed with mostly from Maguindanaon, Iranun, and Maranao tribes(15). Meanwhile, The first National " Welgang Bayan" was successful to show the popular opposition to President Marcos and the Election for National Assembly pushed through on 14 May 1984.

          By virtue of National Act 883, the Government held a snap election on 07 February 1986 to diffuse people's tension(16). The National Assembly proclaimed Marcos as the winner amid widespread fraud. 31 technicians of Commission on Election Computer Tallying Center walked out as a protest when a group of people affiliated with Marcos reversed the count in favor of Marcos before it was shown in huge official tally board(17). The February 16 Catholic Mass called the election a systematic disenfranchisement of voters. US envoy Philip Habib arrived in Manila for a separate closed door talks with Marcos and Cory Aquino after President Reagan issued an statement favoring Marcos(18).

          On 22 February 1986, Philippine Constabulary General Fidel V. Ramos and Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile quit their posts and stayed in Camp Aguinaldo  and Camp Crame in EDSA. An estimated 3,000,000 people crowded EDSA which led to People Power Revolution. The Reagan Government flown Marcos and Family to Hawaii via Clark Air Base. Cory Aquino took her oath as President on 25 February 1986 and established a Revolutionary Government. Aquino appointed a new commission to draft the 1986 Constitution which provided autonomy in Muslim Mindanao and the Cordillera Region ( Article 10 Section 15)(19).

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THE AUTONOMY   

          The MNLF and MILF agreed to negotiate in expanded panel with the GRP in August 1986. President Aquino visit MNLF Camp in Sulu in September to talk with Nur Misuari. Eventually the Government recognized the MNLF as negotiating partner representing the Moros. On January 1987, the GRP and MNLF met in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to discuss autonomy. The MNLF requested Aquino to suspend autonomy provisions in draft Constitution but the Constitution was ratified in February. Talks bogged down. GRP Chair Aquilino Pimentel requested ceasefire after the MNLF launched a 5-day offensive in Mindanao.

          In 1989, Philippine Congress passed Republic Act 6734 for the creation of Autonomous Region  of Muslim Mindanao or ARMM which was signed into law on 01 August 1989. The plebiscite was held in 19 November 1989 with only 4 provinces supported the autonomy; Sulu, Tawi-tawi, Maguindanao, and Lanao del Sur. The ARMM was officially inaugurated on 06 November 1990.

          A new Moro group emerged in 1991, the Abu Sayyaf which literally means Father of the Sword. Aburajak Abubakar Janjalani and Edwin Angeles, a Muslim convert formed the group with the aim to expand Islam through Jihad. Angeles acted as Operations Commander of the group. Janjalani was an Islamic Scholar and a former member of MNLF(20). The members served as volunteer mujahideen fighters during The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan in 1988 and maintained connections with Osama bin Laden's Al-Qa-'idah. Ramzi Yousef led an Al-Qa-'idah cells in the Philippines when it planned an attack on Philippine Air Lines jet in December 1994 and against the American Airliners in early 1995 coinciding with World Youth Day(21).

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THE SEARCH FOR LASTING PEACE

          Presidential Candidate Fidel V. Ramos met Libyan President Muammar Quadaffi in Tripoli, Libya and discussed the Mindanao Problem. Ramos sworn as new elected President on 30 June 1992 after the May Elections and immediately created National Unification Commission or NUC  in July 1992 and begun exploratory talks with MNLF in Tripoli by October. President Ramos issued Executive Order #125 in July 1993 with the aim to define the approach and administrative steps for peace effort after Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas host the second round of exploratory talks. In October, GRP and MNLF started formal talk in Jakarta, Indonesia.

          In Ipil, Zamboanga del Sur, the new Moro group Abu Sayyaf in a show of force raided the town on 04 April 1995 and burned the public market that claimed 50 lives and millions of pesos worth of damage. The GRP and MNLF condemned the act. The talks resumed on December in Jakarta with an Interim Agreement signed containing 81 points of consensus. Christian political opposition parties criticized the agreement and vigilante groups threatened to create chaos if the agreement will be finalized.

          President Ramos facilitated consultations to win the Interim Agreement in early 1996. In June, the meeting of GRP-MNLF Mixed Committee agreed to establish the SZOPAD or Southern Philippines Zone of Peace and Development. Nur Misuari announced his bid for ARMM Governor while Exploratory Talks with MILF begun to create peace agreements. On 02 September 1996, the Final Peace Peace Agreement between GRP and MNLF was signed. In ARMM elections, Nur Misuari won as Governor and 6 MNLF leaders also won  as members of Regional Legislative Assembly. On 3-5 December 1996, a massive crowd gathered in Da'wan Center Sultan, Qudarat in a show of support for the MILF and reaffirmed its call for Independence, the right for self determination, departure from 1996 Peace Agreement and to be free from oppression, deprivation, exploitation, and misadministration . The gathering was called the Bangsamoro People's Consultative Assembly with an attendance of estimated 1,070,697 Moro delegates coming from Sulu, Tawi-tawi, Zamboanga del Sur, Cotabato City, Sultan Qudarat, Davao Oriental, South Cotabato, Lanao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Maguindanao, Cotabato Province, Lanao del Sur, General Santos City, Bukidnon, Sarangani Province, Basilan, the Moro Youth Sector, Overseas Bansamoro Workers, Women Sector, and Lumads. 

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Armoured Personnel Carrier V-150 destroyed by RPG (MoroJihad) 

RENEWED CLASHES                     

            The AFP and MILF started the year with fighting in Buldon, Maguindanao from January to February 1997. The GRP and MILF agreed in March to form an Interim Ceasefire Monitoring Committee with Father Eliseo Mercado, OMI as Chairman after the March 16 bombing of Madrasah (Islamic School) killing 10 young students and a teacher. Hostilities continued until June after the Agreement on General Cessation of Hostilities (AGCH) was signed. 

         In May 1998 Election, the opposition candidate Vice President Joseph Estrada won as new President. In Mindanao, most of MNLF leaders lost their bid for Local Government positions. In August 1998, Hadji Limpasan chaired an organization called SADEM or Sulu Archipelago Decolonization Movement to restore the Independence of Sulu through the United Nations. Meanwhile Abu Sayyaf founder Abdurajak Janjalani was killed in a shootout with the Police in December.

          Another high ranking member of Abu Sayyaf was killed in January 1999,he was Edwin Angeles, the Operations Commander of the group. Angeles was found out to be a former police agent who left Abu Sayyaf in 1995. On 10 February 1999, the GRP and MILF signed the Joint GRP-MILF Acknowledgement and Agreement to Reaffirm the Pursuit of Peace. The two parties met again on 13 February 1999 to signed the Cessation of Hostilities. On 18 May 1999, The Rules and Procedures in the Determination and Verification of the Coverage of the Cessation of Hostilities was signed. The signed agreements gave recognition to MILF Camps and territories while peace talks was in effect. The recognized MILF camps were Abubakre, Darapanan, Rajahmuda, Badre, Omar in Maguindanao, Busra, and  Bilal in Lanao del Sur. The September 1999 ARMM Election was postponed and a priority bill had been filed in Congress to amend the Organic Act. On 25 October 1999 the GRP and MILF opened the Formal Peace Talks but BAYAN a rightist group reported the augmentation of Government troops in Mindanao by additional 7 Army battalions, 2 Scout Ranger battalions, and 6 Special Forces battalions.                    

          Clashes erupted again while the scheduled 17-20 January 2000 Peace Talks was going on. The AFP took MILF's Camp Omar al- Farouk in Maguindanao on 21 February 2000. Four days later, a passenger ferry boat was bombed in Ozamis City, Misamiz Occidental claiming 25 lives. The Abu Sayyaf now headed by Khadafy Montano Janjalani claimed a new name for the group, al-Haratul Islamiya kidnapped 50 people from a Catholic school in Basilan including students, teachers, and Catholic priest Father Roel Gallardo on 20 March 2000. The kidnapping incident was simultaneous with MILF-AFP clashes in Lanao del Norte. The Abu Sayyaf caught the attention of International Community when it kidnapped 21 people including 10 foreigners from Sipadan resort in Malaysia and took them to Jolo Island in Sulu on 23 April 2000, Easter Sunday.

          The Malaysian authorities responded by tightening security in their costs and rounding 600 illegal Filipino immigrants on 29 April 2000. MILF walked out of negotiating table after Philippine Army attacked MILF fighters holding a highway checkpoint near Camp Abubakre in Maguindanao. On 03 May 2000 AFP rescued hostages from the Abu Sayyaf. Unfortunately Father Gallardo was executed with 3 other teachers.

  
Residential settlement (L) and a Mosque caught in crossfire. (MoroJihad) 

               The fighting in Maguindanao and other provinces produced 319,095 individuals, 33,663 were ailing including the 23 women who suffered miscarriage according to the last count of Department of Social Welfare or DSWD. The evacuees came from ARMM, Central, West, and South Mindanao. The Commission on Human Rights received complains of rights violation by AFP, among the complaints were displacement, harassment, physical abuse and house burning in Lanao and Maguindanao. On 09 May 2000, Javier Solana of European Community or EU arrived as requested by the European countries of the hostages. Shortly, former Libyan Ambassador to the Philippines Abdul Rajah Azzarouq arrived on the same day. The AFP secured Narciso Ramos Highway and recovered the 12 decomposing bodies of Philippine Marines soldiers who were killed in attempt to overrun the Matanog Camp on 29 April 2000. In a report from Department of Agriculture, 12,000 hectares of cornfields were affected in North Cotabato, Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, and Sultan Qudarat. 500 hectares in South Cotabato totaling to 60,000 metric tons of corn shortage. 

           In June, the Organization of Islamic Countries or OIC met for a 4 day summit in Malaysia to discuss Muslim minorities struggle including those in Southern Philippines. Nur Misuari attended the summit as observer. The AFP captured MILF main camp, Camp Abubakre in Matanog, Maguinadanao after a week of air and ground assault. President Estrada led a flag raising ceremony and a feast of roast pig and beer. The popularity rating of Estrada showed an increase after the all out war .

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PEACE AFTER WAR  

          In Manila, the Philippine Congress approved the Impeachment process against President Estrada after the confession of Estrada's close friend Ilocos Governor Chavit Singson. Estrada was charged with Graft and Corruption, and Plunder on 13 November 2000. Meanwhile, the Rizal Day was marked with a  bombing of an Light Rail Transit passenger train in Blumentritt Station. The Government pointed the incident as work of armed Moro groups. The Impeachment Court resumed and on the eve of 16 January 2001 people simultaneously gathered in EDSA to protest the vote of  Jurors who refused to open the envelope containing the bank statement of Jose Velarde who was believed to be Joseph Estarda. People Power 2 ousted Estrada and installed Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as the new President. Arroyo immediately called for an All Out Peace in Mindanao as a policy.

          The Abu Sayyaf Group again held hostages in 27 May 2001. In a pursuit operations on 02 June 2001, the Abu Sayyaf group was almost crushed in Basilan Church but was able to escape using the back door of Church compound. Basilan residents doubted the escape as conspiracy and believed that top level government official (s) maintains the Abu Sayyaf as mercenary group. The second Bangsamoro People's Consultative Assembly was held in Sultan Qudarat in June 2001(22). In Congress, The Organic Act was amended on 14 August 2001.

          On 16 November 2001, the MNLF- Reformist Group who maintained loyalty to former ARMM Governor Nur Misuari took men, women and children as hostages in Sulu. The hostages were released after the negotiation. As the Holy Ramadan ends, President Arroyo declared the Muslim Holy day Eid al- Fitr as holiday on 16  December 2001. In Zamboanga two high ranking Abu Sayyaf members were arrested by the operatives of Philippine National Police on 22 December 2001(23).

          Malaysia turned over Nur Misuari with his 6 companion to Philippine authorities on 07 January 2002 after being held by Malaysian authorities for the charge of illegal entry in Sabah.  Misuari was flown by a helicopter and an escort to Camp Santo Domingo in Santa Rosa , Laguna to face rebellion charges. In Sulu 3 members of Scout Rangers were stabbed to death in Jolo Public market on 16 January 2002 by civilian residents after an alleged mis- encounter with MNLF integree members of Philippine National Police. 

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U.S. FORCES ARE BACKED IN MINDANAO 

             By the end of January 2002, United States Military forces started arriving in Edwin Andrews Air Base in Zamboanga for Balikatan 02-1 or the Republic of the Philippines-United States Joint Military Exercises. Militant groups and civic organizations protested the military exercises and the participation of foreign troops in pursuit of Abu Sayyaf as violation of Constitution. However, the exercise was officially opened on 15 February 2002. The following day, a grenade exploded in Jolo Public Market killing a 14 year old boy and wounding 45 others. Another grenade exploded in Mindpro Mall in Zamboanga at 2 PM. On the same afternoon in Manila, Faisal Marohobsar of Pentagon Kidnap for Ransom group who also operate in Mindanao was arrested with 8 others in a Quiapo lodging house. Meanwhile, The Malacañan Palace allowed the showing of a video tape in news programs showing alleged Abu Sayyaf members beheading the captured government soldiers to justify the Balikatan exercises .

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