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Philippines PUBLIC ORDER AND INTERNAL SECURITY
When Aquino assumed office in February 1986, she immediately
began dismantling repressive restrictions on civil and public
liberties. Political prisoners, including top communist leaders,
were released. Restrictions on the media's ability to report
freely and to criticize the nation's leaders were removed. Aquino
also allowed far greater freedom of political expression.
Although she enjoyed broad public support, Aquino inherited a
variety of internal security threats from her predecessor. Chief
among them was the insurgency inspired by the CPP and its
military arm, the NPA. After modest growth during the first two
years of Aquino's tenure, insurgent strength waned in the late
1980s. Although communist guerrillas remained active throughout
most of the country, internal dissension and improved AFP tactics
had reduced their threat. Meanwhile, Muslim insurgents in the
south threatened to resume their armed struggle for independence
or autonomy. A combination of political maneuvering within the
government, continued Moro factionalism, and decreased foreign
support, however, reduced prospects for open rebellion. By 1990
the Muslims, although locally active and still a potent military
force, showed little inclination to resume full-scale conflict.
Repeated military rebellions and coup attempts constituted
the most pressing challenge to Aquino's authority. The highly
politicized military generally was seen as another legacy of the
Marcos regime. Military dissidents exploited widely shared
grievances in order to recruit supporters for their rebellions.
These grievances were at the root of military restiveness. Many
officers complained that the Aquino government was insensitive to
the military's concerns and that her administration was corrupt
and unable to lead.
Aquino also faced a serious crime problem within the
Philippines. A variety of social and cultural factors contributed
to the problem. Widespread poverty and the growing urbanization
of the nation's traditionally rural society often were cited as
contributors. The crime rate generally paralleled the state of
the economy, dramatically worsening during the mid-1980s before
improving at decade's end. Violence, long common in Philippine
society, was aggravated by insurgency and the prevalence of highpowered firearms. Drugs were a modest but growing problem, and
CPP-inspired terrorism against Philippine officials, and
sometimes Americans, escalated in the late-1980s.
To deal with criminal activity, the government focused on
improving the performance of the police and the courts. Aquino
took several steps to remedy widespread skepticism about the
fairness and effectiveness of the judicial system. She ended
presidential political interference in judicial affairs and took
steps to speed the sluggish legal process and reduce the logjam
of court cases. Efforts to improve Integrated National Police
discipline and professionalism continued, with special attention
given to the perception that police were excessively corrupt and
abusive.
Data as of June 1991
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