Davide urges UN to lead fight vs terror

09/08/2008

The Philippine government has urged the United Nations (UN) to lead the fight against international terrorism by decisively facilitating international cooperation and coordination to address this global threat. In a statement on the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy delivered before the UN General Assembly, Philippine Permanent Representative Hilario Davide said UN agencies must call on member-states to craft measures addressing the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism; prevent and combat terrorism; build capacity to prevent and combat terrorism and strengthen the role of the UN system; and ensure the respect for human rights for all and the Rule of Law as the fundamental basis of the fight against terrorism.

As UN members continue to cooperate and coordinate efforts in the international arena, he said, countries should also police their territories to hold terrorism in check. In implementing the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, Davide said the Philippines formulated a comprehensive political, social and economic package for peace and security; a comprehensive legal package that brings terrorists to justice, plugs the loopholes in the legal system and ensures the protection of human rights; and a broad alliance for technical support, cooperation and preparedness.

“Economic development, social justice, human rights protection and political and judicial reforms are powerful instruments against extremism and terrorism,” Davide said. He added that Philippine implementation of the global strategy was boosted by the enactment of the 2007 Human Security Act that defines and penalizes terrorism and the conspiracy to commit terrorism. “The policy of the Philippines (is) to protect life, liberty and property from acts of terrorism, to condemn terrorism as inimical and dangerous to the national security of the country and to the welfare of the people, and to make terrorism a crime against the Filipino people, against humanity and against the law of nations,” he said. Davide also mentioned the continuing program of bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the field of capacity-building and technical training and preparedness in combating terrorism. He cited the longstanding commitments on training on law enforcement, customs clearance and border control with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States and with the European Union. He said the Philippines also spearheaded the creation of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation’s Anti-Terrorism Task Force in a move to secure the Asia-Pacific Region from terrorist acts. The Philippines has joined forces with the other Asean members in adopting a Convention on Terrorism which calls for greater cooperation among Asean members in combating all acts of terror. These counter-terrorism efforts in the bilateral and multilateral levels aim at securing the Philippines maritime borders, trade, aviation, remittances and cross-border financial transactions,” he said. Michaela P. del Callar

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