Integrated Civilian Home Defense Forces

The Integrated Civilian Home Defense Forces, also called the Civilian Home Defense Force and commonly referred to by its acronym CHDF, was an irregular paramilitary force supervised and deployed by the heads of the local government in the Philippines — provincial governors, city and municipal mayors. The CHDF was active during the 1970s, and was officially disbanded in 1986 after the People Power Revolution. However, the creation of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit in 1987 provided the opportunity for CHDF members to once again perform their former duties.

Creation

The Philippine Constabulary recruited, organized and equipped official civilian militia during the Hukbalahap Rebellion after World War II.^[1] After the Hukbalahap were effectively suppressed in 1956, these militia units were organized into "Barrio Self-Defense Units".

In 1972, Ferdinand E. Marcos declared martial law in the Philippines. One of the terms of the 1973 martial law-era Philippine Constitution was the establishment of the "Self-Defense Forces" to help combat the Islamic insurgency in Mindanao^[1] and later the Communist insurgency.^[2]

In 1977, Marcos issued Presidential Decree No. 1016, formally establishing the Integrated Civilian Home Defense Forces for the purpose of maintenance of peace and order.^[3] At its inception, the CHDF numbered 73,000 men, and became a notorious human rights violator.

In July 1987, Corazon Aquino issued Executive Order 275, dissolving the CHDF and other paramilitary units.^[4] However, that same month she issued Executive Order 264,^[5] establishing the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit on the advice of then-Defense Secretary Fidel V. Ramos. Former members, between 25%-70%,^[1] of the disbanded CHDF were then integrated into the CAFGU.^[6]

Organization

Over-all organization, training and equipment was provided by the Department of National Defense, while screening and appointment of actual members was carried out by the military provincial commander upon the recommendation of the local government heads and the Chief of the Philippine Constabulary. Deployment and utilization of the CHDF troops fell under the supervision of the provincial governor, city and municipal mayors, who coordinated with military and Integrated National Police units in areas under the jurisdiction of the local government.^[3] In practice, the CHDF were under the control of the city and municipal mayors.^[7]

Various paramilitary groups with their own names and identities, including a number which portrayed themselves as religious or quasi-religious organizations, were recruited into the CHDF, with some being designated as special units of Marcos' Armed Forces.^[8]

Among the better known of these groups^[8][9][10] were:

• Alsa Masa - a vigilante armed group initially formed in early 1984 specifically to combat the New People's Army in Barangay Agdao, Davao City, and later revived and expanded in April 1986 with the support of the Philippine Constabulary's Davao Metro District Command.^[9][10][11];
• the Ilaga - a Christian extremist^[12] paramilitary group active throughout the island of Mindanao^[13] which embraced a form of Folk Catholicism which highlighted violent acts and the use of amulets. ;
• the Rock Christ - a paramilitary sect well known for their human rights violations, particularly the massacre of a Subanen family in Tudela, Misamis Occidental ; and
• the Tadtad, whose formal name was Sagrado Corazon Señor (SCS) - a paramilitary religious sect established in 1972 in Initao, Misamis Oriental by Sagrado Sade Jr.^[14] and whose main handler in the 1980s was current Philippine senator Bato dela Rosa.^[15]

In media

The antagonists in Lav Diaz' 2018 film Season of the Devil are specifically identified as members of the martial law era Civilian Home Defense Forces, and are responsible for various atrocities in the Barrio of Ginto.^[16]

The conflict between the CHDF and rebels in the town of Glan, Sarangani is depicted in Bryan Wong's 2019 action film Bahad.^[17]

See also

• Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit
• Alsa Masa
• Ilaga
• Rock Christ (paramilitary sect)
• Tadtad

References

1. The Philippines: Violations of the Laws of War by Both Sides. Human Rights Watch. 1990. p. 41. ISBN 0929692527. Civilian Home Defense Forces.
2. Rachman, Arpan (2 December 2014). "Private Armed Militias Worsen Impunity". Archived from the original on 25 October 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
3. "Presidential Decree No. 1016". Retrieved 11 May 2016.
4. "Executive Order No. 275". Retrieved 12 May 2016.
5. "Executive Order No. 264". Retrieved 11 May 2016.
6. Nadeau, Kathleen M. (2002). Liberation Theology in the Philippines: Faith in a Revolution. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0275971988.
7. McCoy, Alfred W. (2009). An Anarchy of Families: State and Family in the Philippines. University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN 978-0299229849.
8. Report of an Amnesty International Mission to the Republic of the Philippines, 11 – 28 Nov 1981 (PDF) (Report). Amnesty International. November 28, 1981.
9. Ross, James; Hsieh, Jerry (1990-01-07). "Militia Abuses in the Philippines". Third World Legal Studies. 9 (1). doi:10.29046/tmf.014.1.009. ISSN 0895-5018.
10. Kowalewski, David (1990). "Vigilante Counterinsurgency and Human Rights in the Philippines: A Statistical Analysis". Human Rights Quarterly. 12 (2): 246–264. doi:10.2307/762379. ISSN 0275-0392.
11. "IN THE KNOW: Alsa Masa". INQUIRER.net. 2018-11-19. Retrieved 2024-03-20.
12. "Christian militia kills five Muslims in Philippines". Dawn. 3 November 2008. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
13. Dikit Tiglao, Rigoberto (2019-01-05). "Only Three Scenarios for the Communist Insurgency". Manila Times.
14. ""Tadtad"". The Freeman. The Philippine Star. 4 August 2013. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
15. "32-year old film on aftermath of Marcos rule headlines Daang Dokyu Film Festival". Philstar Life. Retrieved 2024-03-20.
16. Diaz, Lav (2018). Ang Panahon ng Halimaw [Season of the Devil] (Feature Film) (in Filipino and English).
17. "Bahad". RAD. Blackbox Studios. Retrieved October 28, 2023.