MANILA, Philippines – The government is not taking the threat of terrorism “lightly,” Malacañang said Thursday, after the Philippines ranked 10th among countries most affected by terrorism by the Global Terrorism Index 2018. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo cited the measures undertaken by the administration to fight terrorism, saying “peace and order remains a primordial concern” of President Rodrigo Duterte. “Our goal is to totally eradicate rebellion by crushing it as well as by providing better services and opportunities for all to achieve a state where there would no longer be a need for any uprising or armed struggle.”Panelo cited Duterte’s Executive Order No. 70, “directing the creation of a national task force to end local communist armed conflict, as well as the adoption of a national peace framework that will contain policies addressing the root causes of insurgencies.”“All of these form part of the Duterte administration’s comprehensive approach in achieving inclusive and sustainable peace throughout the Philippines,” he noted. “Amid baseless denunciations by critics,” Panelo said, “we can assure our people that the President remains focused and steadfast in fulfilling his constitutional mandate to serve and protect the Filipino people.” /kgaADVERTISEMENTRead Next

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer December 20, 2018 08:48 UTC