Philippine justice movement gains significant momentum as advocates nationwide demand comprehensive legal reforms and accountability for human rights violations.

The Dawn of a New Reckoning

Today, February 25, 2026, as the Philippines commemorates the 40th anniversary of the People Power Revolution, the nation finds itself at a spiritual and legal crossroads. For the Muslim community—the *Ummah*—this is not merely a political milestone but a profound moment of *Adl* (justice) and *Amanah* (trust). The Philippine justice movement has reached a fever pitch, driven by a convergence of international accountability and regional legislative breakthroughs that promise to dismantle the culture of impunity that has long plagued the archipelago [wikipedia.org](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQE_W7DtaFcpSGL90djvANfN53HD9Zf9N0AKvijhUD5qocpzL4FYi_TIzLYgF3SFF5OsWgM2oMgNUbOwblz7D4wUBO8qH2XTyf3KrUpS8lxoAjNyibznr3yUd8W66_9fTbfnPa2s2DjEFNYUgU9FwdEo-IlitXRy0iuOaBdVpz-6yNyW0mhhkD96YQtiOhMh).

From the halls of The Hague to the vibrant streets of Cotabato City, the demand for comprehensive legal reforms is no longer a whisper but a roar. For the Moro people, who have endured decades of *Zulm* (oppression) and historical marginalization, the current momentum represents a rare alignment of domestic will and global scrutiny. As advocates nationwide mobilize for the "Trillion Peso March Part 3" today, the focus is clear: a total overhaul of the justice system to protect the vulnerable and hold the powerful to account [wikipedia.org](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQE_W7DtaFcpSGL90djvANfN53HD9Zf9N0AKvijhUD5qocpzL4FYi_TIzLYgF3SFF5OsWgM2oMgNUbOwblz7D4wUBO8qH2XTyf3KrUpS8lxoAjNyibznr3yUd8W66_9fTbfnPa2s2DjEFNYUgU9FwdEo-IlitXRy0iuOaBdVpz-6yNyW0mhhkD96YQtiOhMh).

The ICC and the Pursuit of Accountability

In a development that has sent shockwaves through the Philippine political establishment, the International Criminal Court (ICC) is currently holding a "confirmation of charges" hearing for former President Rodrigo Duterte from February 23 to 27, 2026 [hrw.org](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQGcXlSIbbOLvKdaeW7iRBjKSGp-EAc8eZwNO7ndINwR1Q95hiN_KiKhPPcfMNNPu5Rz-fMECAFAruBTzJNa2uvvt6pu0FhCMEdEyY8R6atBFmlJpF8UKi0vCHcvvtRa-R-53OJ6fE4iLHPjEOTxF86rZK1h43Xc_vHnUTse73thPLLvimrcbdtcHVc6Vj-DVvPy). Duterte, who was arrested in Manila on March 11, 2025, faces three counts of crimes against humanity related to the extrajudicial killings during his administration's "war on drugs" [un.org](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQFuNmtFbBE-2zQMRTxP8NH6F8CfRLP9Vbz9UG1aqlOs1hORdID5ncXA6wUuRTa7fI6n1LDaDNikpkeMJZk5FrlzKrDLqbjZeeWT9pLY6FgL9dnPo3EWlYTxWE3pJIlFo_LFEOnxDaEe).

From an Islamic perspective, the accountability of a leader is paramount. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught that the most beloved of people to Allah on the Day of Resurrection is a just leader, while the most hated is a tyrannical one. For the thousands of families in urban poor communities—many of them Muslim—who lost loved ones to state-sanctioned violence, this trial is a long-awaited step toward restorative justice. The ICC prosecution has identified a "common plan" to neutralize suspected drug personalities, a strategy that often bypassed the due process guaranteed by both secular law and Shariah principles [wikipedia.org](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQEBzn0nEQPaYUnYaO5sZRMhrpeRwvqX_wcflQ9qPqoVNkAmEEjPbOUGnVQkQW12J3_qFOCe2s2VKUcrWzgA5mDCHK9KLCaT_LEHrdlNRSsZyxxhtYt76-Q00Dkgb3h_K_Nkll2gXxdXReV1opPIxlAFCjeGY89NymuZMX0siruycry0z2Wzr-qoDY_rSebiWLe4SiNsdWk=).

Bangsamoro’s New Dawn: The Transitional Justice Act of 2026

While the eyes of the world are on The Hague, a landmark legislative victory was achieved closer to home. On January 29, 2026, the Bangsamoro Parliament unanimously approved the **Bangsamoro Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Act of 2026** [bangsamoro.gov.ph](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQGs9VkXaydWYW6e7LuFLtK10bRYDCYBLgutrH9xbpgOiJpQaHpkdw5itsjUCvkbL60hJJdl6hoy8Ov0UGEZYO3G2KrN52uFuA36ybSLzA4aNZQkx9gKTFE-eofWv61WK-uWwGYZs21yPWYvNKRd9vrgdSHp7RMwRyObpGl4u7-gk5TFfrggEsmxVp-JhmeVU795FlKJwtrR37xFVa8kzDOwkiu6kbdyyBXseidukFEw4l1PXrTRIAdvrA0q6V13XRI6eqX-sA==). This law establishes the Bangsamoro Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Commission (BTJRC), an independent body tasked with investigating human rights violations and historical land dispossession dating back to the American colonial period [bangsamoro.gov.ph](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQEfvhsywac_dolkVrIowOtQODQSCTkRXG8VpmQGxluFvs8RCjtLkjy138CkiFGnzvhbujeR_d6L9Ml-ZVGtF61XpFaXgoOTE4NWUop3bez9H0lb64iMt-pwdJUmEF1hAg322y6IQy-_RsJYoTZuh8RzeY0VgX2Vfhljniqgz5BA9TccqHzjgvjDwuJ6gPb0Gc9NkqbFQNI9PhnR3UgV0GX8).

This is a monumental step for the *Ummah* in the Philippines. For too long, the grievances of the Moro people were dismissed as mere "insurgency." The new law recognizes that lasting peace is impossible without addressing the root causes of conflict. The BTJRC is mandated to conduct community-based listening sessions, ensuring that the voices of the *Mustad'afin* (the oppressed) are finally heard [bangsamoro.gov.ph](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQEfvhsywac_dolkVrIowOtQODQSCTkRXG8VpmQGxluFvs8RCjtLkjy138CkiFGnzvhbujeR_d6L9Ml-ZVGtF61XpFaXgoOTE4NWUop3bez9H0lb64iMt-pwdJUmEF1hAg322y6IQy-_RsJYoTZuh8RzeY0VgX2Vfhljniqgz5BA9TccqHzjgvjDwuJ6gPb0Gc9NkqbFQNI9PhnR3UgV0GX8). By integrating transitional justice into the regional education system, the Bangsamoro government is ensuring that future generations understand their history not as a series of defeats, but as a resilient struggle for dignity and self-determination.

The Sacred Obligation: Marawi’s Unfinished Business

Despite these strides, the shadow of the 2017 Marawi Siege continues to loom large. As of early 2026, the Marawi Compensation Board (MCB) still faces a staggering backlog, with over 12,000 claims yet to be processed [gmanetwork.com](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQG3ulEc97PHMZN01drFYpmz64NiitCx5O7mxtRVCkAcBpO8tv_7fNOdyK_pA94sXc1BZasP3T-VG93CFsNz1z9gq59CaP7Oj2579pdXRPmbi-CVTh7YmTxnXBblZ9JSVqXwtwmIZIzQAc2vqjcv0CJqX-p4NiDxj6Nr-GeU1C_60UYQL72f3RNcxswQmOp1UOpC6v_EtdRWEKBtETde4cpWd2ScKTyBtTcGtk3vNsh2zUeoZD8tz3cUyPSy4hkWMQru_ZqpM4aT). For the internally displaced persons (IDPs) of the country's lone Islamic City, justice is not just a legal concept; it is the ability to return home and rebuild their lives.

Advocates like the Marawi Reconstruction Conflict Watch (MRCW) have rightly called the rehabilitation of Marawi a "sacred obligation" [bangsamoro.gov.ph](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQEGlLj7iFJcKH0sFjtSO6SiRWz0qO2h3zzCd8U0uYNst3Lb-_JqoUoew3C5J_6Bw69QvDbcSHMhX63sz_sYHEYWOqglMIGRTFkefIcNtxiiv-Gt6grd0Og30DVr_rVUCmjQT_6TcY4o-qkVzfsOuYeEq0ywMdmBa3_9bNktfI-Fmjx5CWN4TEzcedHuFraUbz0u4Oh_fgdKXGV0V9b4pAjIgTws_YZ9jnTZ-8uMz1Lls2pU). The slow pace of compensation—with only a fraction of the P20 billion needed being disbursed—is a test of the national government's commitment to the Moro people [gmanetwork.com](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQG3ulEc97PHMZN01drFYpmz64NiitCx5O7mxtRVCkAcBpO8tv_7fNOdyK_pA94sXc1BZasP3T-VG93CFsNz1z9gq59CaP7Oj2579pdXRPmbi-CVTh7YmTxnXBblZ9JSVqXwtwmIZIzQAc2vqjcv0CJqX-p4NiDxj6Nr-GeU1C_60UYQL72f3RNcxswQmOp1UOpC6v_EtdRWEKBtETde4cpWd2ScKTyBtTcGtk3vNsh2zUeoZD8tz3cUyPSy4hkWMQru_ZqpM4aT). In Islam, the withholding of a worker's wage or a victim's due is a grave sin. The Philippine justice movement must prioritize the full and speedy compensation of Marawi’s residents to heal the wounds of the siege and prevent the seeds of future resentment from taking root.

Protecting the Defenders of the Ummah

A critical component of the ongoing legal reform is the push for the **Human Rights Defenders Protection Act (HB 77)**. This legislation aims to criminalize "red-tagging"—the dangerous practice of labeling activists and religious leaders as terrorists or communists [amnesty.org.ph](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQGoqzZMPQE2IAgCrbZWWw0Iyl9nTaLVKiZknrI64zfVcbI_-Saxr40U_O2tI9Qlgyk_LLsWYvsOvD0GwDrNhGYeZeqaQV6C0A1O8mAVeh7ogRkjKY5rJs74LjPm1bnDSp3ClR9x886OFRXYUs2cx_vLe_ULYCPMsA==). Muslim scholars and activists have frequently been targets of such vilification, often based on Islamophobic tropes [unodc.org](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQGNxu34Oxd6VkvKKGfFQKNHTF5wvYVKb3KF-VJRqVL_JvUX5Junvb2hPBZs3ucvSpfwjJXpU9ihc_rk_nGOEfJ5ctDkM927Nn99eEBJCOY0uFndleXdYNEylNBQYagl0MAv6CGAILXWgGAcJN-yWXc6liqPZp_FJs9sL5m7J2hHs0h5HBVdUlxnkhyvGbhGqoHT6FSUpc_FlCaAgg==).

The passage of this act would provide a necessary shield for those who speak truth to power. Furthermore, recent initiatives by the UNODC to introduce guides on Islamic practices for prison officers represent a growing recognition of the need for cultural and religious sensitivity within the criminal justice system [unodc.org](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQGNxu34Oxd6VkvKKGfFQKNHTF5wvYVKb3KF-VJRqVL_JvUX5Junvb2hPBZs3ucvSpfwjJXpU9ihc_rk_nGOEfJ5ctDkM927Nn99eEBJCOY0uFndleXdYNEylNBQYagl0MAv6CGAILXWgGAcJN-yWXc6liqPZp_FJs9sL5m7J2hHs0h5HBVdUlxnkhyvGbhGqoHT6FSUpc_FlCaAgg==). For Muslim prisoners, who often face double discrimination, these reforms are essential to ensuring that their dignity—granted by Allah—is preserved even behind bars.

Conclusion: A Call for Steadfastness

As we look toward the future, the Philippine justice movement must remain steadfast (*Sabr*). The progress made in early 2026 is significant, but the path to true *Adl* is long. The integration of Shariah justice with the national legal framework in the Bangsamoro, the successful prosecution of those responsible for extrajudicial killings, and the full restoration of Marawi are the benchmarks by which this era will be judged.

The *Ummah* in the Philippines stands at the forefront of this struggle, not as a separate entity, but as a vital part of a national movement demanding a justice system that is blind to power and sensitive to the diverse spiritual fabric of the Filipino people. May our pursuit of justice be guided by the divine principles of mercy and truth, ensuring a future where every citizen can live in peace and dignity.