Attack in the Philippines: interview with Prof. Tudor Petcu By Nicola Comparato

Welcome to the exclusive interview with Prof. Tudor Petcu, an authority in the field of philosophy of religions, member of the Board of Directors of the Dimitrie Cantemir Association and professor at the University of Bucharest. With his extensive academic experience and expertise in political philosophy, Prof. Petcu will guide us through an illuminating analysis of ISIS's recent claim for the attack in the Philippines, offering a unique and in-depth perspective. Before we dive into the interview with Prof. Tudor Petcu, it is essential to understand the key events surrounding the attack. ISIS recently claimed responsibility for an attack that occurred during a Catholic mass at Mindanao State University in Marawi, Philippines. This dastardly act caused the loss of four lives and left 42 others injured. The city of Marawi was already the scene of a prolonged battle in 2017 between government forces and militants linked to the Islamic State. The recent violence has sparked condemnatory reactions from local and international authorities, with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. attributing the attack to "foreign terrorists." In this context, we will explore with Prof. Tudor Petcu the philosophical implications of this tragic event and try to gain a clear perspective on the current situation and possible avenues for intercultural dialogue and philosophical understanding.

1) Professor, how do you philosophically interpret ISIS's claim for the attack in the Philippines and what could be its impact on intercultural dialogue?

First of all, it should be remembered that the Philippine Archipelago is the only deeply Christian country in the South-East Asia area, which unfortunately has led to a series of unpleasant aspects for its inhabitants.

First of all, we must remember Japan's historical desire, especially during the Second World War, to conquer several islands in the Philippines, especially to test its military technology.

Then, countless attempts to Islamize the Philippines by various local groups and at a certain point also by Malaysia have endangered the cultural identity of this space, influenced by its historical condition but so resistant in its faith.

The attack you just referred to is nothing other than the obvious desire to eliminate all traces of Christianity in this part of Asia, considering that such spiritual uniqueness probably distorts to some extent the Asian cultural heritage and structure of mentalities social networks present near the Philippines. .

From a philosophical point of view, the problem can be interpreted in only one way: the Republic of the Philippines, through the prism of its Christian heritage and the assimilation of different Euro-American ideologies, presents itself in the light of an open society based on the principle of unity in diversity, but in a geostrategic context that totally rejects the culture of variety and differences.

2) Given your extensive knowledge in the philosophy of religions, how do you believe events like this might influence the perception of religion in the contemporary context?

What happened in the Philippines can only lead to a bad image of religion, a fact that further fuels the postmodern condition of contemporary secularism for which metaphysical values are the prerogative of illusory minds.

Until religion is exercised in the paradigm of freedom of conscience and spiritual practice as a way of self-discipline, the latter will always be rejected by the consumerist culture of the "global village", still unconsciously consumed by the depth of the authentic values of coexistence.

In other words, the attack in the Philippines is another slap in the face of religious freedom and cultural purity, but I dare to make the following statement: contemporary Christianity, which is probably the most persecuted religion globally, shows a real inclination towards martyrdom, showing himself willing to forgive his executioner, and the Philippine events fully demonstrate this.

3) As a philosopher and scholar of political philosophy, what reflections do you have on the responses of Philippine and international authorities to this act of violence?

Overall, Philippine diplomacy has always shown balance in its history, while at the same time being aware that a bolder statement would jeopardize the safety of its citizens.

Thus said Ferdinand Marcus, the most beloved president in the history of the Philippines and national hero of the Philippines: "we will never make bold statements because we cannot afford the risk of losing our identity, but we assure you that our own faith and belonging to the values who – have given their lives, will help us resist all attacks”.

In other words, the Philippine authorities, who will always need diplomatic intuition, will let themselves be guided by their Western allies, especially the Americans, in managing the situation

4) In the context of your collaboration with the University of Milan, do you believe that there are specific philosophical approaches that could contribute to a broader response to phenomena such as these?

Certainly there are many philosophical approaches that could be linked to events like those in the Philippines, but I mention three that I consider essential:

1.) rationalism as a way of logically explaining the shortcomings and pathologies from which religion suffers in the public space;

2.) the phenomenology of religions, especially that inspired by Edith Stein, as a way to distinguish between religion and religiosity, since the first is the practical knowledge of divinity, while the second is only the distortion of the essence, religion in transformation into an identity and traditionalist obsession that we could call spiritual deconstructivism.

3.) Religious postmodernism, especially the Christian one to which Gianni Vattimo referred, the latter believing that only by accepting the values and challenges of contemporary culture will religion be able to overcome its fundamentalist condition.

Religion, in the Kantian sense, must remain a criticism of the faculty of judgement, but I would not forget Jürgen Habermas either, for whom religion betrays its own axiology in light of the obsession with its own truth into which it wants to move ontologically. the horizon of universal truth.

5) Finally, as an educator at King George International High School in Bucharest, how do you believe higher education can play a role in mitigating radicalization and promoting interreligious dialogue?

Yes of course! There is a growing need for a pedagogy of science and freedom that consolidates a solid culture of democracy in the near future, and I sincerely believe that steps will be taken in this direction.

At the same time, I have a strong admiration for the young Philippine democracy, capable of adapting so well to Western standards, and I believe that the current president of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcus Jr, following the legacy received from his father, has the opportunity to shape the nucleus of a new Philippine society, rooted in the values of the common Weltethos, in the panorama of the fundamental ethical-democratic discipline, and the Christian identity, unique in Eastern Europe, can be of great help in this sense.