Magahat-Bagani (Philippines)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: |
no
|
| PGM ID Number: |
568
|
| Country: |
Philippines |
| Date formed: |
June 1, 2009 |
| Accuracy of date formed: |
month
|
| Details of Formation: |
The Magahat Bagani here created by the military in 2009 as part of the implementation of Oplan Bantay Laya 2. |
| Date dissolved: |
Unknown |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: |
day
|
| Details of Termination: |
The military has denied any links with the group. After an attack on September 1, 2015, the military stated that it would go after the Magahat-Bagani. Until 2015 no clear action has been taken to hunt down the suspects. |
| 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
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): |
none
|
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: |
not applicable
|
| Ethnic Membership: |
Indigenous (Philippines)
|
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: |
given
|
| Ethnic Purpose: |
none
|
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: |
not applicable
|
Other Information
| Other Information: |
he PGM is sometimes referred to as Bagani Force or Magahat. The members belong to the Lumad tribe, a group of indigenous people living in the southern Philippines. |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: |
The group’s main purpose and use for the military is to fight NPA rebels (Wikipedia). It is also considered as the law enforcement component of the indigenous people and tasked to protect their ancestral domain rights. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use |
unknown
|
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: |
A news source from 2013 reports that the group abducted four adolescents and tortured them. In 2015 the group killed a school director and two Manabo lumad residents, accompanied by soldiers. |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: |
kidnapping/abductions; killing; torture
|
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? |
yes |
| PGM Members Paid? |
no information |
| Reasons for Membership: |
A news source from 2009 says that soldiers alongside PGM members tried to forcibly recruit members and threatened those who refused. |
| PGM Members Killed? |
no information |
PGM Size
| Size: |
Reports from 2015 give estimates of around 20-30 PGM members. |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: |
The Magahat-Bagani are armed and trained by the military. They are equipped with automatic firearms, including Armalite rifles. |
Organisation
| Organisation: |
The Magahat Bagani are controlled by the military (Human Rights Watch) and function as its civilian auxiliary. The military is funding the group. |
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
Wikipedia. “Lumad”. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lumad&oldid=966140015
Information was taken from news sources listed in the PGMD
Evidence
