US report lauds decline of terrorism in PHL, says Malacanang
MALACANANG on Saturday expressed elation over the US State department’s report noting a continued decline of the terrorist activities in the Philippines.
Deputy Spokesperson Abigail Valte said that the government will consider the report as an indication to further improve its counter terrorism efforts.
“We are very happy about this development and we will take this as an indication to further our counter terrorism efforts,” Valte said.
The US State Department, in its “Country Reports on Terrorism 2010,” reported that the terrorist activities in the Philippines declined in the past year.
“The ability of terrorist groups, such as Abu Sayyaf, Jemaah Islamiyah and the New People’s Army, to conduct terrorist activities inside the Philippines continued to decline,” the report said.
“The Philippine government, with US support, has kept constant pressure on terrorist groups even as their security services were stretched thin by other demands such as carrying out humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and providing security for the national election in May,” it added.
The US State Department also lauded the Philippine law enforcers for their “vigorous efforts to arrest terrorists and eliminate safe havens, and closely coordinated efforts with US law enforcement officers.”
(PCOO)
