Pro-Government Militias

Pro-Government Militia Website

Greenans (Philippines)

Basic Group Information

Name assigned by coder: no
PGM ID Number: 147
Country: Philippines
Date formed: Jan. 1, 1986
    Accuracy of date formed: year
Details of Formation: The Greenans formed in 1986, but there is no information who founded them. Their first activities were reported in 1988.
Date dissolved: Unknown
    Accuracy of date dissolved: day
Details of Termination: The Greenans were last mentioned in 1993. However, as the PGM was connected to the military and not to a specific government, and had previously “survived” a government change (Aquino-Ramos), we did not code the subsequent government change as date of termination.
Termination Type(s): not terminated

Former and Successor Group Information

Predecessor group(s): none
Successor group(s): none
Private Military Company? no
Former Group? no
    Former Armed Group? no
Former Rebel Group? no
    Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: none
PGM Becomes Rebel Group? no
    Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: none

Government Relation, Support, and Training

Government Relation: informal (type 1)
Created by the Government?: unclear
    Main Creating Government Institution: no information
Government Link(s): military (institution)
    If link to party, name of party: None
Training and Equipment: unclear
Shared Information and Joint Operations: yes
Shared Personnel: no
Type(s) of Material Support: domestic government; military
State Sponsor(s): none
Other Connection(s):

Group Characteristics

Membership: religious; former rebels
Primary Membership: religious
Alternative Primary Membership: no information
Location: Negros, Ga-as, San Rafael
Force Strength: [unknown, unknown]
Target(s): civilians; rebels, insurgents, or other armed group
Purpose(s): intimidation of civilians; fight insurgents

Ethnic Characteristics

Ethnic Target(s): none
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: not applicable
Ethnic Membership: none
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: not applicable
Ethnic Purpose: none
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: not applicable

Other Information

Other Information: The Greenans were a fanatic religious cult.

New Variables from Meta-Analysis

Purpose

Purpose: Like other vigilante groups, the Greenans were formed to protect civilians from the NPA rebels. By 1989, a source reports that engaging in combat was not their main function, but instead their purpose was to intimidate communities known to support the NPA’s mass base.
Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use unknown

Treatment of Civilians

Treatment of Civilians: While they were formed to protect civilians from the NPA, the Greenans soon engaged in violence against civilians themselves. There are reports of the Greenans torturing and beheading their victims. They used brutal methods such as disemboweling and mutilations in order to terrify the larger community. They were often deployed by the military and sometimes conducted the violence alongside regular soldiers.
Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: killing; torture

Reasons for Membership

PGM Members Coerced? yes
PGM Members Paid? no information
Reasons for Membership: Recruits were drawn in parts of former NPAs and civilians from the rebels’ mass base. Those recruits reported that they had no choice as they could either join the Greenans or be branded as an NPA. It is reported that in at least one case a civilian was killed with some family members when he refused to join the Greenans.
PGM Members Killed? no information

PGM Size

Size:

Weapons and Training

Weapons and Training: The Greenans do not bear firearms but traditional machetes (bolos).

Organisation

Organisation: The Greenans rely on donations from local residents, local government and the military. They enjoy immunity from persecution and official condemnation. They are deployed by the armed forces and engage in joint actions with the military.

Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis

Information was taken from news sources listed in the PGMD

Evidence