SWS: Filipino Muslims trust MILF, MNLF

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino Muslims have much trust in the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Front while they distrust the Abu Sayyaf Group, according to a Social Weather Stations survey released Monday.

The survey conducted from March 25 to 28 showed that the net trusting rating of the MILF was an excellent +74 and the rating of the MNLF was a very good +50 among Muslims.

Catholics, however, have a different perception over the MILF and the MNLF with -42 and -41, respectively. Iglesia ni Cristos also distrust the MILF with a rating of -55 and -56 for the MNLF.

The ASG had a very bad -64 rating among Muslims which is similar to their rating among Catholics (very bad -60), INC (execrable -77) and other religions (execrable -72).

In general, public trust in rebel movements and armed groups has been low in the first quarter of the year.

All rebel movements and armed groups scored negative net trust rating scores (percent much trust minus percent little trust) in the latest survey.

The National Democratic Front appears to be the most trusted despite its poor rating of -10 with 28 percent of adult Filipinos with much trust in the group while 38 percent have little trust in them.

The Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army scored a net trust rating of -27. It should be noted that the NDF is the political arm of the CPP-NPA.

Peace negotiations with the CPP-NPA-NDF moved forward during the start of the Duterte administration. The talks between the government and the communist group, however, have been suspended following continuous attacks of rebel forces against government troops in the countryside.

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The MNLF and the MILF both scored bad net trust ratings among all Filipinos with -38 and -39 while the terror group Abu Sayyaf scored the lowest with -62.

The president is set to meet with MILF leaders next week to discuss the provisions of the Bangsamoro Basic Law, which seeks to implement the peace agreement between the government and the rebel group.

As for the ASG, Duterte earlier said that he will not negotiate with the local terror group that he labeled as criminals. The Marawi City siege was triggered by the government forces' operation to neutralize ASG subleader Isnilon Hapilon.

SWS terminology for net trust ratings is as follows: +70 and above, "excellent"; +50 to +69, "very good"; +30 to +49, "good"; +10 to +29, "moderate", +9 to -9, "neutral"; -10 to -29, "poor"; -30 to    -49, "bad"; -50 to -69, "very bad"; -70 and below, "execrable."

The first quarter survey was conducted among 1,200 Filipino adults nationwide using face-to-face interviews.

"The area estimates were weighted by Philippine Statistics Authority medium-population projections for 2017 to obtain the national estimates," the SWS said.