De Lima seeks Senate probe on Duterte admin's failure to stop Abu Sayyaf

Senator Leila de Lima on Wednesday called on the Senate to investigate the failure of the Duterte administration to stop the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group from conducting kidnap-for-ransom activities.

In filing Senate Resolution No. 311, De Lima said the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security should look into the ability of government security forces to go agaisnt the Abu Sayyaf and other lawless groups.

“These lawless groups are not only sowing domestic terror, but may also prove to be a weak spot making us vulnerable to external threats,” De Lima said in a press statement.

De Lima, now detained in Camp Crame over drug-related charges, also said the Senate must also look into the factors that hinder the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) from completely neutralizing terrorist groups.

“Congress should investigate what legislative measures may be passed in order to address the factors that may have contributed as to why government forces have not yet succeeded in neutralizing the ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group), towards the ultimate end of enacting measures that will strengthen and boost capacities of Government forces in eradicating or neutralizing the ASG and other lawless groups,” she said.

A former Justice Secretary, De Lima also urged the government to beef up the AFP's capabilities for a more holistic approach in combating the Abu Sayyaf, which recently beheaded its German captive Juergen Kantner.

“Congress should also ensure that measures are in place to maintain government functions in Mindanao despite challenging situations,” De Lima said.

De Lima cited President Rodrigo Duterte's admission that his administration's failure to crush the Abu Sayyaf had led to the Kantner's execution despite ongoing intensified military operations in the terrorist group's known bailiwicks.

Under the resolution, De Lima noted the Abu Sayyaf's continuous illegal activities over the years despite its proscription in 2015 as a terrorist organization as defined in Section 17 of Republic Act 9372 or the Human Security Act of 2007.

The proscription allows the government to file criminal charges against the Abu Sayyaf and its supporters and financiers under the Human Security Act and the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act, according to the statement.

Although she lauded the efforts of the military, De Lima said the Senate probe would prove that "there is still an obvious and pressing need for the government to look into why the ASG continues to carry out their criminal activities with apparent support of local communities." —Joseph Tristan Roxas/KBK, GMA News