On 24 May 2017, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declared Martial Law in Mindanao through Presidential Proclamation 216. This came after a botched military operation against an individual by the name of Isnilon Hapilon, the leader of the Maute Abu Sayyaf terrorist group, allegedly connected to ISIS. Under Martial Law, the Philippine military has intensified indiscriminate aerial bombing even as civilians are still trapped within the city. As Philippine authorities claim, 20-38 civilians have been killed, thousands have evacuated and taken refuge in several parts of Mindanao, while hundreds more were arrested.

Even before PP216, state impunity perpetrated by the Armed Forces of the Philippines already claimed the lives of 34 people, mostly farmers and Lumads who are the indigenous peoples of Mindanao. They have been victims of politically-motivated extrajudicial killings, while 20 incidents of indiscriminate aerial bombings and operations have occurred since February this year.

To discuss the situation in the philippines, Accent of Women speaks with Stephanie Rabusa, Chairperson of AnakBayan Melbourne. Later in the show, we speak with Joms Salvadore, secretary general of Gabriella Philippines, a progressive women’s organisation there, about the specific experiences in Mindanao.