‘Terrorist activities in Phl remain constrained’

WASHINGTON – The transition of internal security functions to the Philippine National Police to permit the Armed Forces of the Philippines to shift its focus to enhancing the country’s maritime security and territorial defense capabilities has been slow and ineffective to date, the US State Department said.

However, the ability of terrorist groups – including the Abu Sayyaf, Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army (CPP/NPA) – to conduct terrorist activities inside the Philippines remained constrained, the State Department said in its Country Reports on Terrorism 2013.

The report released on Wednesday said the Philippines maintained its strong counterterrorism cooperation with the United States.

It said the creation by the Philippine National Police of the Special Action Force has helped strengthen its law enforcement counterterrorism capabilities. But the SAF remains a relatively small unit.

SAF has received training through multiple sources, including the Joint Special Operations Task Forces-Philippines, and has been designated as a unit that will be given communications equipment through the US Global Security Contingency Fund, the report said.

The Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)’s signing a Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro last month is said to be a definitive step toward peace in Mindanao.

The report said terrorist incidents such as bombings and raids were more frequent in 2013 than in the years preceding the signing.

It said during the year under review, rogue elements of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) conducted a three-week siege of Zamboanga City, killing dozens of soldiers and policemen and displacing thousands of civilians. Also, a number of smaller armed groups in Mindanao conducted bombings, raids and kidnapping for ransom with increased frequency compared to the years before the signing of the peace pact. – With Pia Lee-Brago