The Phenomenon of Kidnapping in the Southern Philippines: An Overview

The Philippine government, military and media regularly represent the Abu Sayyaf as being the main perpetrators of atrocities in the southern Philippines. This paper challenges such representations through an outline of the phenomenon of kidnapping in the region. Opening with a vignette of the phenomenon drawn from primary sources, the paper then considers in greater detail its objective conditions, the identities of its perpetrators and sponsors, and their interdependencies. The available evidence strongly indicates that kidnappings in the zone are instigated mainly by key power brokers, who engage or collaborate with local armed groups for the purpose.