AFP, PNP chiefs say PHL’s democratic space abets terror, lack of discipline

The country enjoys so much democratic space that it has become the breeding ground for terrorists and has encouraged a lack of discipline among citizens, the chiefs of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police said on Monday.

“The country enjoys so much democratic space that is being exploited by terror groups and also criminal groups. Unlike in other countries like Singapore, US, Malaysia, Australia, they have a very strict internal security act,” AFP chief General Eduardo Año said.

Año said that provisions under the Human Security Act of 2007 were not enough to address the threats of terrorism.

He assured that they are coordinating with legislators on pushing for their own internal security act in order to address matters affecting terrorism.

“May mga special provisions (ang ibang bansa) na pwede nilang i-arrest ang isang tao by mere suspicions based on information and there's a special court that would yield the case and they do not even have to file charges immediately and they would not even have to file charges immediately up to three years they can actually detain a person until they determine whether that person is really part of a terror group,” Año said.

PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said, "We have so much democratic space which sometimes bordering to indiscipline, mahirap disiplinahin ang ating sarili.”

Dela Rosa said that terror groups had been operating freely in the country due to lack of a national ID system.

“Alam naman natin na national ID system pa lang which is a very crucial mission to address terrorism hindi makapasa-pasa sa ating legislature. We have been clamoring for that but its a very uphill battle,” Dela Rosa said.

He added that another factor would be the use of prepaid SIM cards in the Philippines.

Dela Rosa said that other countries only allowed postpaid cellular phone accounts which makes it easier for the authorities to identify phone users.

“In other countries wala silang prepaid doon, puro postpaid kaya na-identify lahat ng owners ng cellphone, dito I don't know kung tayo ba ang nagreregulate ng mga telcos o sila ang nagreregulate sa atin, bakit hindi natin macontrol kung ano ang gusto ng gobyerno,” Dela Rosa said.

“Punta kayo sa China, paano maka operate ang terrorista doon, ultimo Facebook hindi makapasok, regulated nila lahat ang cyberspace kaya dito sila, maluwag tayo,” he added.

“Those recommendations having in the air for quite so long but mahirap talaga yung utak ng Pilipino mahirap nating kalabanin. So 'yun libre sila dito, masyado raw sila maluwag,” Dela Rosa said.

The US Department of Justice earlier said that Filipino Russell Salic, who was tagged in a thwarted jihadist plot targeting New York City, had boasted that his country was "a breeding ground for terrorists.”

Salic and two others have been charged with involvement in the plan to carry out the attacks in the name of the Islamic State group during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in 2016. —NB, GMA News