The Council for Climate and Conflict Action Asia (CCAA) noted an increase in violent incidents across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), according to its latest triennial report released on Thursday.
The report, presented by University of the Philippines Professor Pancho Lara during a virtual press conference, highlighted a connection between rising temperatures and escalating violence in parts of Maguindanao and the Special Geographic Area (SGA) villages.
Covering the period from January to April 2024, the CCAA report noted that the intense heat and surge in violence have led to significant casualties and displacement within the region.
The report documented 20 armed clashes in several municipalities, including Sultan sa Barongis, Sharif Saydona Mustapha, Mamasapano, Talitay, and South Upi in Maguindanao del Sur, as well as in the SGA, which comprises 63 barangays from Pigcawayan and Midsayap in Cotabato province.
CCAA emphasized the organization’s goal to explore how climate change influences ongoing and emerging conflicts. But some academics expressed skepticism about the report’s findings.
Criticisms surfaced regarding the accuracy of the data, with concerns raised about the methodology and the use of open-source information in conflict analysis. The report attributes the violence primarily to resource competition, clan rivalries, and shifting political alliances.
Notably, eight of the recorded incidents occurred in the last two weeks of April and allegedly involved former commanders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which is currently undergoing a decommissioning process as part of the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) with the government.
