January 24, 2008: Increased threats against Christian clergy in
the south has led to assigning soldiers as bodyguards. For over a century,
southern Moslems have been converting to Christianity, seeing it as a more
modern and helpful religion. This angers the Moslem traditionalists, who point
out that Moslem scripture calls for those who convert, to be executed. However,
killing converts tends to create more hostility towards Islam. Thus the current
campaign against Christian clergy, which only makes the government angrier at
the Islamic militants. That's nothing new.
January 19, 2008: In the south, police
arrested one of the Abu Sayyaf leaders of the ambush that killed 14 marines
last July. The man had a $12,000 price on his head.
January 18, 2008: About 360 kilometers southeast
of the capital, an army patrol encountered some NPA gunmen. Four rebels were
killed.
January 16, 2008: A priest was killed
in the south, while resisting kidnappers. This took place on the island of Tawi-Tawi,
where Islamic militants, like Abu Sayyaf, are trying to drive out the Christian
minority. The Islamic militants believe it is forbidden for Christians to
convert Moslems, but not the other way around. In many Moslem nations, this notion
is actually the law.
