PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday warned that the jihadist Islamic State forces have already migrated to the Central Mindanao from their lairs in Sulu province.
Speaking to the Filipino community in Hong Kong, Duterte said that the country would have been in “heaven” already only if terrorism and drugs won’t exist.
“Iyang ISIS kasi, sana huwag mangyari. From Jolo, they have migrated to Central Mindanao,” Duterte said in Filipino.
Duterte insisted that the only thing he won’t do is to talk with terrorists, and that the full might of the military will be used to destroy them.
“I can’t talk to terrorists. One of them was adopted as the chair of the ISIS in Mindanao,” Duterte said, without explaining further.
“Now we have jets … I am using it, before we didn’t use it, but now, I have to use them hastily to [destroy] the enemy. Because they’re very dangerous,” he added.
Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told Congress that military offensives have weakened the terror groups.
In a recent House committee on national defense and national security situation, Lorenzana, along with Armed Forces of the Philippines’ General Eduardo Año, told the House of Representatives the government will continue its assault so as not to give the terror groups a chance to regroup.
Both officials expressed optimism the peace talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front would result in fewer skirmishes with government troops.
Among the internal security concerns being addressed were the threats coming from the extremist groups, such as the Abu Sayyaf Group and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS)-identified local terrorist groups, and foreign terrorists that “they are closely monitoring,” and extortion activities of leftists groups, such as the Communist Party of the Philippines, New People’s Army and National Democratic Front, the two military officials noted.
The successful military offensives resulted in the death, capture or surrender of top leaders of the terror groups, they said.
ACTS-OFW Rep. Aniceto Bertiz III, however, asked Lorenzana and Año about the status of the arrested and deported ISIS-linked Hussein Azo Aldhafiri, Winston Q8 operations manager, and his wife Raja Zina, who operated the terror group’s Philippine operations and siphoned off hundreds of millions of pesos from Kuwait-bound overseas Filipino workers.
“This is a national security concern because we are talking about a big amount of money being used to fund a terrorist group. They have a nationwide operation and don’t need foreign funding from other terrorist groups because they are earning around P900 million per day,” he told the military officials.
He said concerned agencies have yet to act on the still existing and 99 percent foreign-owned (a clear violation of the law) Winston Q8 company in Taguig City despite its proven linkage and posing as an imminent threat to the country’s national security.
The committee chairman, Pangasinan Rep. Amado Espino Jr., shared the same opinion that the matter was a national security issue that has be taken seriously.
“Where are the enemies [of the State]? Such is terrorism. Can you imagine, our OFWs, our unsung heroes, are being used by terrorist without them knowing it,” he said.
But Lorenzana said even if they were involved in the monitoring and eventual arrest of the terrorist-linked couple, they were not the lead agency on the matter.
Kabayan Rep. Harry Roque questioned the extent of ISIS presence in the country and the relation of the recent Quiapo bombing to local ISIS-linked counterparts.
Lorenza said the Office of the National Security Adviser would issue official statements related to terrorist presence.
The lawmakers also raised external threats, such as the Chinese incursions and sightings of their vessels in the contested islands and waters of the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) and Benham Rise off the coast of Isabela in the Philippine Sea.
Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano said the country must have a clear overall strategy on incursions and reported harassment of Filipino fishermen.