Philippines

The Philippine government is currently negotiating with an Islamic rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, to create a semi-autonomous Muslim controlled region on the southern island of Mindanao. It appears that Christians in the area are already facing persecution and fear that Sharia law will be imposed on them. 

 Although it isn't mentioned in this article, plans to carve out a new Muslim region on the southern island of Mindanao in the Philippines has many afraid that Islamic law may soon apply to Christians living in the region. The plan is part of a peace deal with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, a group that in the past has been known to kidnap Christian missionaries in order to extort their families

The priests were heading to Isabela town with their security escorts when gunmen attacked a group of government militia who were guarding the road where the priests were supposed to pass. 

The Muslim group, known as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, has waged a ten year war against the predominantly Christian government of the Philippines. In the past, the Muslim group has been responsible for kidnapping Christians. 

 "The sad reality of the world today is that terrorists want to disrupt the ability of people to live their lives in the ways they want to, including the freedom to worship"

"According to the police officer, the man received a reward of 1500 pesos (26 euros) to kill the priest."

Fr. Fausto Tentorio was killed by a lone killer inside the residence of the parish of the Mother of Perpetual Help in Arakan, north Cotabato, Mindanao October 17 last.

The brutal murder of a Catholic priest a little over forty days ago on the Philippines southern island of Mindanao remains unsolved. Mindanao has been the scene of a long running violent conflict sparked primarily by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, a militant group seeking to establish an Islamic state. It is unknown if the murder was religiously or politically motivated, however the killing and abduction of Christian's in Mindanao is not unheard of.

The predominantly Roman Catholic Philippines is currently struggling to contain fighting with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in the southern island of Mindanao. Although this event does not appear to be connected, attacks against journalists and Christian missionaries, including the recent murder of Father Fausto Tentorio, are not uncommon.

Last Monday, a lone gunman shot Friar Tentorio several times in the head and the body inside the compound of the Mother of Perpetual Help Parish Church in Arakan town, making him the third priest in his congregation to be murdered in the Philippines.

"Fr. Fausto Tentorio, 59, who had spent more than 32 years in the Philippines, was killed this morning by a stranger, as he prepared to leave the parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Arakan, North Cotabato"

Gracia Burnham tells the extraordinary story of how she and her husband Martin were kidnapped by Muslim terrorists and how she is now sharing the Gospel with her kidnappers in their prison cells.

In Jolo, Marawi, and Basilan, Christians are afraid to express their faith. Because of constant attacks and kidnappings, the churches can only be entered through a side door, guarded 24 hrs.

As Abu Sayyaf, an Islamic terrorist group in the Philippines, runs out of money, it plans to kidnap nuns and Christian laypersons.

Recent bomb explosions in Philippines have put the nation on alert, Islamic terrorists are suspect.  Churches are believed to be the next target.

A Christian man was allegedly kidnapped, tortured, and murdered by a Muslim couple in the Philippines, possibly in connection to his family's evangelistic activities in his community.