Pro-Government Militias

Pro-Government Militia Website

Alamara (Philippines)

Basic Group Information

Name assigned by coder: no
PGM ID Number: 567
Country: Philippines
Date formed: Jan. 1, 2002
    Accuracy of date formed: year
Details of Formation: The Alamara was first mentioned in 2002. It was formed by the Philippine military.
Date dissolved: Unknown
    Accuracy of date dissolved: day
Details of Termination: Still active in 2016
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?: yes
    Main Creating Government Institution: military
Government Link(s): military (institution)
    If link to party, name of party: None
Training and Equipment: yes
Shared Information and Joint Operations: yes
Shared Personnel: no
Type(s) of Material Support: military
State Sponsor(s): none
Other Connection(s):

Group Characteristics

Membership: ethnic; former rebels
Primary Membership: ethnic
Alternative Primary Membership: no information
Location: Davao del Norte, Bukidnon province
Force Strength: [unknown, unknown]
Target(s): civilians; rebels, insurgents, or other armed group; ethnic group; students
Purpose(s): intimidation of ethnic/religious groups; fight insurgents

Ethnic Characteristics

Ethnic Target(s): Indigenous (Philippines)
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: given
Ethnic Membership: Indigenous (Philippines)
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: given
Ethnic Purpose: Indigenous (Philippines)
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: given

Other Information

Other Information: The members belong to the Ata-Manobo and Lumad tribe, groups of indigenous people.

New Variables from Meta-Analysis

Purpose

Purpose: News sources report that the military used the Alamara in its fight against the NPA insurgents and to intimidate civilians so as to pacify any unrest. It is also mentioned that the military uses the Alamara to help clear ancestral areas in order to pave the way for mining companies (Human Rights Watch 2015). The military uses Almara to distract from the military’s own atrocities.
Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use deniability of violence

Treatment of Civilians

Treatment of Civilians: Alamara frequently intimidates and harasses students and teachers in tribal schools, often in joint action with the military. As a consequence, some schools were closed and residents fled their villages. Tribal leaders denied the involvement of the military in violence, but two of the three tribal leaders saying so where themselves leaders of Alamara and a similar group. (Human Rights Watch 2015)
Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: unknown

Reasons for Membership

PGM Members Coerced? yes
PGM Members Paid? no information
Reasons for Membership: There are reports that indigenous people were forcibly recruited into the Alamara, under auspices of the military.
PGM Members Killed? no information

PGM Size

Size:

Weapons and Training

Weapons and Training: Alamara possessed guns (Human Rights Watch 2015). According to a news source, the military arms paramilitary groups like Alamara.

Organisation

Organisation: Tribal leaders are leaders of the Alamara (Human Rights Watch 2015). According to a NPA spokesperson, the Alamara is financed by the military and supported by the local government.

Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis

Human Rights Watch. 2015. “Philippines: Paramilitaries Attack Tribal Villages, Schools.” https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/09/23/philippines-paramilitaries-attack-tribal-villages-schools

Information was taken from news sources listed in the PGMD

Evidence