Article II Section 5 of our Constitution provides that “No law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed. xxx”

In my own analysis, this means that every person of this world, wherever he may be is entitled to have his own belief and religion of his own choice. His beliefs shall be respected and the said right shall not be violated.

On May 23, 2017, the Philippines was struck by series of violence, particularly in Marawi City in Mindanao. A certain group of terrorists who presented themselves as ISIS, the Maute Terrorists, started spreading terrors among the populace of the Marawi City as they loot, kill civilians, destroy properties and take away from the Municipality of Marawi the control of government. Fortunately, the Military defense of the Philippines was able to neutralize the said acts of the group.

It was also reported that the terrorists abducted and shot eight Christians for refusing to recite the Muslim creed. It was also reported that Maute as ISIS as they claim among themselves are helping the latter in fighting for what they believe in – that Islam should be the only religion to exist.

Clearly, the actions of the terrorists for shooting and killing the Christians for not being able to recite the Muslim creed is a rampant violation of Article II Section 5 of the Constitution which provides that everyone has the right to freedom of religion. Forcing someone to embrace a religion or to convert to another religion is something which the aforementioned provision seeks to prohibit as it recognizes everyone’s freedom of belief and choice of religion.

In sum, the Maute’s actions and as extremists supporting the ideologies of certain terrorists group are condemnable under the Constitution.