‘Improved Philippine ranking in...

“medium impact.”

“We welcome with great enthusiasm and optimism the latest results of the Global Terrorism Index released by the Institute for Economic and Peace showing a much improved ranking for the Philippines at 18th place for the year 2022 compared to being in the top 10 countries worst affected by terrorism several years ago,” the NSC said in a statement.

“This could only mean one thing: That the Philippine government is on the right track and by that we shall continue all counter-insurgency efforts we started years back, focusing mainly on our local peace initiatives and good governance espoused by NTFELCAC (National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict) under the guidance of our chairman, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.,” it added.

The NTF-ELCAC, which was formed under former president

Rodrigo Duterte in 2018, seeks to provide “an efficient mechanism and structure” that will implement a whole-of-nation approach in achieving “inclusive and sustainable peace.”

The NSC said the better ranking was a testament to the Philippine government’s “unrelenting resolve to address the root causes of insurgency.” It cited the implementation of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, the creation of NTF-ELCAC, the “aggressive campaign” in preventing and countering violent extremism and the passage of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

“While it may be true that the Philippines remains to date as the second ‘most impacted country’ by terrorism in Southeast Asia, the 2022 GTI noted that the Philippines recorded its lowest level of terrorism since the inception of the GTI,” the council said.

According to the NSC, the Philippines previously languished in the top ten list of countries battered by terrorism, along with war-torn states like Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia.

“Such notoriety, according to the same reports, was due to the atrocities mostly committed by the communist terrorist group New People’s Army and armed groups affiliated with known international terrorist organizations,” the NSC said.

Citing GTI data, the NSC pointed out that from 2011 to 2020, the Philippines had hovered around the tenth spot in the index until it showed great improvements for the years 2021 (16th place) and 2022 (18th place).

The NSC said the Philippines’ ranking worsened between 2016 and 2017 when the country dropped from 12th place to 10th place, a development it attributed to “atrocious attacks” launched by communist rebels. Despite the country’s better ranking, the NSC admitted that its work is “far from over.” g

Marcos liable if new EDCA sites cause war...

any time those sites can be used not only over the tensions in the Taiwan Strait against China but also the maritime disputes in the South China Sea also against China," Tuazon said in The Alphan Forum.

"So, it is possible that Marcos will not only be in violation of the One China policy, but he can be made accountable for violating the constitutional provision providing for an independent foreign policy because this whole fact right now is a pivot to the U.S., in contrast to the previous friendly pivot to China adopted by the Duterte administration," he added.

Tuazon, director for policy studies of Center for People Empowerment in Governance, called on the Philippine government to review its "proU.S. policy" to avoid repeating the mistakes that have been made in the past.

"With the increasing presence again of military forces in the Philippines, I will not be surprised if the same atrocities that were committed against Filipino civilians in the light of the presence of the military bases of the U.S. before will be repeated soon," he said.

"So that is, in fact, a call for the Philippine government officials to rethink and review its pro-U.S. policy," Tuazon added.

Signed in 2014, EDCA grants U.S. troops access to designated Philippine military facilities, build facilities, as well as pre-position their equipment, aircraft and vessels.

Permanent basing is prohibited.

The five current locations of U.S. military installations under EDCA are Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija; Basa Air Base in Pampanga; Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan; Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu; and Lumbia Air Base in Cagayan de Oro City.

The new EDCA sites approved under Marcos will be established at the Naval Base Camilo Osias in Santa Ana, Cagayan; Lal-lo Airport in Lal-lo, Cagayan; Camp Melchor F. Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela; and Balabac Island in

Marcos orders peace and order councils...

Palawan.

Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian remains hopeful that the Philippines and China will continue to peacefully coexist.

"Indeed, there are differences between China and the Philippines on the South China Sea issue. However, as neighbors across a narrow strip of water, relations between China and the Philippines are more defined by peaceful coexistence for over a thousand years and will continue to be so in the future. Friendship is always the main stream of our bilateral relations," Huang said during the 8th Manila Forum for Philippines-China Relations at the Astoria Plaza Hotel in Pasig City on Friday, April 14.

"We each have our respective claims and positions regarding the South China Sea. Differences thereof should be resolved by parties directly involved through dialogues and with mutual respect. That is why China is committed to strengthening dialogue mechanisms between us," he added. g

“They happened just after the election and they just… halos sunod-sunod. Kaya’t naging very prominent sa pag-iisip ng taong-bayan na masyado na talagang naging malala ito,” he said, as quoted by PCO.

(They happened one after the other. That’s why it became very prominent in the public’s minds that the situation has worsened.)

“Of course, that is true because even one is too much. But nonetheless, in terms of the political violence, I think, I hope, and we must continue to look out for, and watch out for this is that the experience that we have been having,” Marcos added. The president also told the councils to address the proliferation of illegal or loose firearms that fuel violence in the country, warning about the rise of warlordism. He added that another problem concerning peace and order is violence perpetrated by drug syndicates quarreling over territory with the involvement of some members of the police force.

“It stems from the territorial fights over areas where drugs are distributed, who controls the drug trade in that area.

Kung minsan naririnig natin, mayroong talagang scalawag diyan,” Marcos said.

(We can hear reports that scallawag police officers are involved.)

“So kailangan talaga natin bantayan nang mabuti that these activities that are growing have to be dismantled,” he added.

(So we need to ensure these growing activities are dismantled.)

The PCO said the 1st Joint NPOC and RPOC Clusters’ Meeting was organized to provide updates on the country’s peace and order issues, aid policy decisions, and facilitate immediate action from concerned agencies.

The 2016-2022 accomplishments include the successful surveillance and intelligence operations by the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), anti-insurgency and antiterrorism efforts, anti-illegal drugs campaign, and effective COVID-19 response.

Through the anti-insurgency and anti-terrorism efforts and the revitalized National Task Force on Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), the PCO said the government disbanded 67 guerilla fronts, neutralized 8,645 Communist Terrorist Groups (CTG), and facilitated the surrender of 28,713 rebel members.

In the fight against illegal drugs, the government reported a total of 261,642 anti-illegal drug operations conducted from 2016 to 2022, which resulted in the arrest of 376,582 drug personalities and the seizure of 12 tons of marijuana, 14 tons of shabu, 190,324 pieces of ecstasy, and 500 kilograms of cocaine. Regarding the overall peace and order situation, the government reported that the total crime volume in 2022 decreased by 11.87 percent, from 235,059 in 2021 to 207,143.

The PCO said that crime solution and clearance efficiency by the end of 2022 were 82.28 percent and 96.72 percent, respectively. g