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[av_heading heading=’ EDITORIAL’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”][/av_heading]
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Well-financed terrorism
THE DISCOVERY of Maute group’s P79-million financial stash is a grim indication that it and other terrorist groups in Mindanao are not only well-armed and well-trained but are also well-financed. Our soldiers, particularly the Philippine Marines, delivered a major blow on the Maute’s ability to move around by seizing a considerable amount of the terror group’s money.
The next step should be to trace the money trail and freeze all financial assets tied up with the money seized in Marawi. We can debilitate these terrorists if we destroy their money pot. Without money, they will be helpless, and this makes it easier for government to track them down.
The Philippine National Police should conduct a deeper probe. There is a big likelihood that the money is part of the intricate financing network of ISIS-linked terrorist groups in Mindanao. Through Republic Act 10168 or the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act, the government though the Anti-Money Laundering Council is clothed with the power to freeze financial assets of those perceived to be involved in providing financial aid to suspected terrorists.
The police should trace the money trail and this could lead them to the people who are responsible in financing the activities of the terrorist groups in Mindanao, particularly the ISIS-linked Maute group. The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the National Bureau of Investigation can also use the extraordinary powers of martial law to crush the financial infrastructure of these violent extremists.
The money that was discovered could just be a tiny speck of the whole financial network of the terrorists, so it is paramount that law enforcement and monetary authorities quickly find out where the money came from. The government’s job of neutralizing these terrorists will be made be easier if we can deny them financial support.
The war on terror could be won not only through combat but through the complete obliteration of the financial network and infrastructure of terrorist groups.
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