Go after NPA rebels, too, Duterte reminded
President Duterte’s decision to place Mindanao under martial law in response to the Marawi City incident should be welcome news to all Filipinos. We need a strong leader who is brave enough and has an “iron hand” to deal with terrorist groups like the Islamic State-inspired Maute, Abu Sayyaf and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters that are operating in Mindanao.
No government should treat with kid gloves these godless, merciless terrorists who invoke Islam even as they kill, behead and mutilate their victims, among them Muslims, and drive away helpless, unarmed, innocent civilians from their homes, leaving behind broken communities—all in violation of their Prophet Mohammad’s teachings.
Some people say martial law should be limited to Marawi City only and should not cover the whole of Mindanao. But the President is on the right path if he also targets the terrorist activities of the New People’s Army in the region.
The Maute, Abu Sayyaf and BIFF are with IS in its drive to establish a global Muslim caliphate, while the NPA rebels are turning into bandits, espousing a supposedly propoor and propeople ideology but, in fact, enriching themselves by extorting what they call “revolutionary taxes” from both ordinary Filipinos and business entities.
With Congress’ imprimatur, the President may extend beyond 60 days the effectivity of martial law, or until it has wiped out these terrorist groups from Lanao del Sur, Sulu, Maguindanao and Basilan. The President should also direct the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, specifically, to go after the NPA in Compostela Valley, Caraga and Davao provinces, so that these bandits can no longer
terrorize companies and businesses that refuse to yield to their terrorist activities.
ROMEO E ALCOSEBA, [email protected]
