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The Chief Executive emphasized the dual role soldiers must play—fighting those who threaten peace and democracy while simultaneously acting as peacemakers.
“Our approach to our internal conflicts here in the Philippines is different, and we’re asking our soldiers to be real war fighters. We still need that courage, bravery, and sacrifice that you have shown,” the President told members of the 401st Infantry Division.
“There is an added dimension to your job. Your mission isn’t just about war, but you also have to be peacemakers and remember that in some way, the people we are facing are Filipinos, too,” Mr. Marcos added in a mix of English and Tagalog.
The President urged the military to not only combat lawless elements, but also support government programs offering livelihood, land, and shelter to rebels seeking to reintegrate into society.
Cruz, meanwhile, said this when asked about the reaction of Mr. Marcos and Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin over the arrest of Myrna Mabanza —an alleged financier of Al-Qaeda and a supporter of the Islamic State—in Indanan, Sulu.
State prosecutors also said Friday they may opt to ask for a change of venue of the trial of suspected terrorist Myrna Mabanza to Manila due to “security concerns.”
In a press briefing, Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Rassendell Gingoyon of the Department of Justice Anti-Terrorist Unit noted that following the arrest of the Mabanza, who is accused of facilitating the transfer of funds to international terrorist groups, the next step would be her arraignment in Zamboanga.
Cruz said learning from previous experiences, the Philippine National Police is now keeping a closer watch on the registration of high-powered firearms following an incident a few years back when privately purchased AK-47 rifles ended up with rebel groups.
Some of the money which Mabanza allegedly facilitated to terror groups were used to buy firearms locally, officials said.
Unverified reports say there are more than 50,000 loose firearms in Mindanao alone—with one area boasting of guns in more than 80 percent of households—while the most recent Philippine National Police reports said it had confiscated 3,300 unregistered guns from across the country.
“We have improved on the system in keeping records on where these guns go,” Cruz said.
Mabanza was arrested in Brgy. Pasil, Indanan, Sulu on Thursday in a law enforcement operation by elements of the PNP, Armed Forces of the Philippines, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, and Anti-Money Laundering Council, and supported by the PAOCC.
She has standing arrest warrants for five counts of violation of Republic Act (RA) No. 10168 (The Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012) and RA No. 11479 (The Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020), all issued on Dec. 20, 2023 in Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur with no bail recommended.
Mabanza was declared by the United States Defense Department as a specially designated global terrorist along with the Islamic State (ISIS) founder Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi and the late Abu Sayyaf Group leader and ISIS emir in the Philippines Isnilon Hapilon.
According to authorities, Mabanza was supposedly involved in the transfer of $107,000 (about P5 million) to Hapilon in 2016.
Earlier, government officials said the funds were used in the Marawi siege, which led to the city’s decimation.
Cruz, quoting the President, said: “He said that— let’s join hand in hand to make Mindanao peaceful. And this is one move that showcases how really important the cooperation among agencies is.”
Cruz also said that Bersamin was “happy” with the arrest, noting it shows the full cooperation and collaboration of all agencies, which defines the success of their future endeavors.
“He said this should be the template for all the operations that we will do, which are high impact. The operations that will be felt by the people and will help the government. That’s what ES told me,” he said.
Gingoyon said transferring Mabanza to Manila to a facility in Taguig City would ensure that she would be properly guarded under the security protocols, including access to the Regional Trial Courts in Manila, and the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) courts in Taguig and Quezon City that are equipped to handle her case.
He said Mabanza’s arrest is an indication that although her crimes happened several years ago, the efforts of the government in going after terrorist financiers or organizations are relentless.
“The government does not forget whether this took place in 2012, 2018. The government is fully prepared to go after these individuals and prosecute them until we can get a conviction,” he said.
— Charles Dantes with Vince Lopez
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