Discursive Constructions of Violence in Philippine News Articles on the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao: A Critical Discourse Analysis

Abstract

This qualitative study explored how violence in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is discursively constructed in Philippine news articles, utilizing Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) as the primary framework. Fifty-one news articles from five major media outlets were analyzed to identify discursive strategies, linguistic features, framing strategies and how it reflects underlying ideologies, power relations, or socio-political positions. Time frame for news articles selected were between 2017-2025. Findings indicate that media in BARMM employs various discursive strategies such as nomination, predication, argumentation, perspectivization, and mitigation. Linguistically, the articles predominantly used material, mental, and relational processes to portray violent events and their impact. The media employed framing strategies such as problem, cause, moral judgment, and suggesting remedy frames in shaping the understanding and perceptions of readers on the violence in BARMM. Moreover, the study revealed that these media constructions reflect dominant ideologies, legitimizing state-centered solutions to violence while marginalizing alternative narratives. The results underscore the significant role of media discourse in shaping public opinion and reinforcing socio-political power dynamics, highlighting the need for a more critical and balanced approach to reporting violence in conflict-affected regions. A critical, balanced, and context-sensitive approach to news reporting is essential to represent each side fairly and comprehensively without being subjective.