Fifteenth International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences

Abstract

Terrorism is an attack on a fundamental right of an individual - the right to live in peace and security. It also undermines peace and security, social harmony, and impedes socio-economic development. Furthermore, it is the fundamental obligation of a state to ensure and protect the rights of its citizens and individuals in its territorial jurisdiction. The researcher recognizes the complexity of terrorism as a social, economic, and political experience and the impossibility of a single remedy or solution for this global phenomenon with criminal consequences; hence, it is imperative to provide a critical analysis on the leadership decapitation approach of the Philippines as a key feature of its policy on combating domestic terrorism. The researcher focuses on how effective the targeted elimination approach of the Philippine Government is on (a) organizational decline and (b) deterioration of the organization’s ability to carry out terrorist’s activities. The researcher employs constructivism, and institutionalism as the interpretative paradigm. The research method is a qualitative approach with case study, policy, and institutional analysis. The subjects of the research are focused on Philippine domestic and transnational terrorist organizations. Due to limited resources, data is mainly be gathered through counterterrorism operations data, highly qualified personalities, and on interviews, non-classified after-action reports, literature, and narratives are the focus of the analysis. The research will inform the development of other grassroots approaches in dealing with domestic and transnational terrorist organizations as well as a change in public and military policy.