Phl vows to join global response vs IS threat

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines pledged yesterday to help in the global response to the threat posed by militants of the Islamic State (IS).

The Department of Foreign Affairs said Philippine security and intelligence authorities have commenced the monitoring of possible recruitment by IS and other foreign extremist groups in the country.

The DFA said the “Philippines condemns the war crimes and crimes against humanity being perpetrated by IS.”

“As a responsible member of the international community, the Philippines will do its part in global efforts to thwart IS,” the DFA said in a statement.

Although the reported deaths of two Filipinos fighting with the opposition in Syria remain unconfirmed, the Philippine government is aware of the potential threat to national security that could be posed by Philippine nationals joining extremist groups overseas.

“Such dangers include the propagation of extremist ideas and terrorism by Filipinos affiliated with such groups upon their return home,” the DFA said.

Leaders from different countries signed up to a coalition to tackle the rise of IS in Iraq and Syria.

Thirty countries have pledged to help Iraq fight IS “by all means necessary,” including offering “appropriate military assistance.”

US Ambassador Philip Goldberg said on Monday during the Kapihan sa Embahada at the US embassy that the United States and the Philippines are watching very closely the possible recruitment by IS of foreign fighters in the country.

He said the US government is concerned about the recruitment of foreign fighters as jihadists who have gone to the Middle East from the United States, United Kingdom, from all over Europe, Australia and other places and wherever it may happen.

Areas for possible recruitment, he said, also include countries in Southeast Asia – the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Muslim extremist groups in the southern Philippines have pledged allegiance to the IS.

Video uploaded on the video-sharing site YouTube showed both southern Philippines-based Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and the Abu Sayyaf rebels pledging support to IS.

Goldberg, however, said that the Philippines is not the “scenario of focus” because the recruitment is happening everywhere, including the West.

He said, “IS, as you all know, is a different kind of threat, something that the whole world now faces and we’ve undertaken a very strong policy and series of actions to degrade and destroy this organization.”