No additional financial support for “teeth” in RP anti-terror campaign

By Ronron
February 23, 2007

An official of the Philippines’s Anti-Terrorism Task Force (ATTF) admitted on Friday that there is no additional budget for law enforcement and security agencies once the anti-terror bill is enacted into law a few months from now.

ATTF Director for Legal, Public Information and Advocacy Ricardo Blancaflor, also the Defense Undersecretary for Legal Affairs and Special Concerns, told the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) at the Manila Hotel that the proposed “Human Security Act of 2007” awaiting the signature of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has no provision for additional funding.

This, despite the authorities’ euphoria over the passage of the bill by both Houses of Congress since the legislative measure is expected to give “teeth” to the government’s drive against terrorists.

“There is no provision (in the proposed bill) for additional funding,” Blancaflor said at the FOCAP Forum.

This would mean that despite additional work, especially on the surveillance aspect, in the implementation of the law, law enforcers and security forces will have to make do with what it regularly receives from their annual budget, said Blancaflor.

“But it’s up to the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) to create policies for (the creation of) additional structures. What is important is we need a permanent office to address (terrorism),” Blancaflor said.

The creation of ATC is provided for under Sections 53 and 54 of the proposed bill. It will be chaired by the Executive Secretary and vice-chaired by the Justice Secretary, while the Secretaries of the departments of Foreign Affairs, National Defense, Interior and Local Government, and Finance, and the National Security Adviser will be the members. The National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) shall be the Secretariat of the Council.

Blancaflor said though that there is no need to recruit additional members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to carry out anti-terrorism operations since what is basically addressed by the proposed law is the system.

“I don’t think there will be an increase in the manpower. We will just improve the system,” he said.

The help of Philippine allies like the United States and Australia in its counter-terrorism efforts is also expected to complement the measure, he added.

“This law in the long run will help prevent some of the attacks… and in decreasing the capabilities of terrorist organizations,” Blancaflor said.

In fact, he described the present environment as “safer” compared to the previous years, starting the December 30, 2000 bombings in Metro Manila.

And this he credited to the anti-terrorism efforts of the government, led by the ATTF, since the latter’s creation in March 2004.

Blancaflor revealed that the ATTF-led efforts have already resulted to 23 convictions in court of terrorists, and 267 neutralizations, even without an anti-terrorism law.

“If local terrorism is addressed significantly in this law in the next year or so, there would be a very drastic drop in the threat,” he said.

Quoting the passed bill, Blancaflor said the new law is expected to be in effect in July of this year after the Arroyo signs it./DMS