AFP Southern Command (SouthCom) is a defunct unified command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It was the largest command under AFP during its existence. It covers entire island of Mindanao, the Sulu Archipelago, Celebes Sea, Sulu Sea, and Southern part of Philippine Sea. It gained highlight during the Abu Sayyaf kidnapping incidents and the all-out war against Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
It is responsible for the defense of these areas against external aggression, as well as combating terrorism and insurgency. It is also one of the government organizations advocating the "Culture of Peace" in Mindanao.
This command was dealing with Moro conflict in late 1960s until mid 1990s with Moro National Liberational Front which are focused in Sulu Archipelago. A separate members of MNLF who were not in favor of the Tripoli Tripartite[1] pact which launched another Moro Islamic Liberation Front in 1979 which are more located in Southern part of mainland Mindanao. Aside from moro secessional movements, southern command is also dealing with Communist Rebellion with CPP-NPA who are controlling the hinterlands in Northeastern. In order to deal with different front the government decided to split the command in order to focus solely on single front.[2]
