Gaa explains RP fight against terrorism

Ambassador Willy C. Gaa recently told a roundtable series on International Collaboration to Combat Terrorism and Insurgency in Washington DC that “in fighting terorirsm, it is in our best interests to work together.”

The roundtable series held at George Washington University was hosted by the Homeland Security Policy Institute (HSPI).
Gaa delivered a presentation highlighting the important lessons learned by the Philippine government in its decades-long struggles against both communist and Islamist insurgencies, including the National People’s Army (NPA), the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF); and against international terror groups such as Jemaah Islamiyah and the Abu Sayyaf Group.

He emphasized to the group composed of members of the academe, U.S. government officials, representatives from think tanks and policy organizations, the need and value of regional and international cooperation in addressing the current threat of global terrorism.
He said: “The advent of globalization and the spread of extremist ideology and beliefs have given rise to a threat that has become transnational and global in nature. In addition, it is perpetrated by non-State actors and groups that easily transcend borders and take root in various communities throughout the globe. To effectively address this development, working together has not only become a necessity, but is also in our best interests.”

In the discussions that followed, Gaa also shared insights into the current security approach of the Philippines, stating that, “Decades of experience and recent successes have shown my Government that a purely military approach or solution is not sufficient and that a key aspect in addressing terrorism and insurgencies is understanding its root causes and effectively implementing programs that address these root causes.

Soft and hard power must go hand in hand in tackling these root causes, a balance must be found for each particular situation but it is never advisable to implement one exclusive of the other.”

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