The Philippines is a country made up of archipelagos with abundant natural resources and diverse topography. However, it also planted the seeds for security problems in the country. The mountainous hills and tropical rainforests of many remote areas provide safe havens for various armed associations. At the same time, the Philippines is politically riddled with factions that have failed to concentrate on major issues, resulting in local tycoons and other forces holding real power throughout the country. In addition, the long-term relationship with the United States and the formation of left-wing revolutionary guerrillas in the Philippines during the period of the US-Soviet struggle for hegemony led to the existence of local separatism. Therefore, in the process of fighting extremist groups and maintaining stability in the Philippines, Marcos is faced with difficult terrain and challenges from multiple forces.
On December 3, 2019, 11 people were killed and 50 injured in a terrorist attack at a university in Marawi City, Philippines. The case is believed to be linked to followers of the extremist armed group ISIS and local separatist forces. As the largest Muslim city in the Philippines, Marawi City has become a "fortress of faith" for people who believe in Islam. Previously, there had been an incident in the Philippines in which the extremist group "Abu Sayyaf Armed Group" occupied Marawi City, and this case once again highlighted the incomplete crackdown on extremist armed groups in the Philippines. The Philippines faces a major challenge because of its widespread distribution and difficulty in concealing extremist groups, and the fragmentation of various forces makes it more difficult to combat them.
In the face of the turbulent situation of law and order in the Philippines, Marcos Marcos of the Philippines issued a strong condemnation and political commitment to this terrorist attack. However, he faces enormous challenges in suppressing bandits and maintaining stability. First of all, the Philippines is a geographically dispersed country, and it takes a lot of time, manpower, and money to send the military and police to eliminate *** organizations. Second, the Philippines is full of political factions, has not formed a centralized state system, and local forces control one side, making it difficult for Marcos to concentrate on extremist groups. In addition, Marcos** may need to conduct joint operations with local forces to combat extremist armed groups. However, local forces may be reluctant to cooperate with the *** for various reasons to defend their own interests and positions of power, thus making Marcos's anti-bandit operation more difficult.
The way Marcos handles the terrorist attack will have a direct impact on his political future. If he fails to solve the problem of extremist groups, it will give various forces a lever to attack him. Extremist groups such as the New People's Army of the Philippines (NPA) and powerful political families are watching Marcos' response to the attacks. If Marcos does not show a tough hand, the law and order situation in the Philippines could deteriorate further. However, it will not be easy for Marcos to defeat local forces and extremist groups in the process of maintaining stability, and he will need to use joint operations to suppress bandits, but this will also require overcoming various difficulties and challenges.
Through the analysis of the terrorist attacks and the political situation in the Philippines, we can see that Marcos faces governance problems and many challenges. The geography and political situation in the Philippines make it difficult to combat extremist groups. However, only if Marcos can solve these problems and turn the law and order situation in the Philippines around, he will be able to consolidate his position politically. In the face of extremist groups and local forces, Marcos will need to use a variety of means, including joint operations and a strong hand, to ensure the safety and stability of the Filipino population. At the same time, he also needs to balance the interests of all parties in the process of solving these problems and avoid triggering greater social conflicts. This requires Marcos to have strong leadership and political wisdom to stabilize the situation through effective strategies and measures, crack down on extremist groups, and maintain social order, so that the Philippines can develop in a better direction.