Gutoc urges women’s participation in efforts to curb terrorism

MANILA, Philippines — Women experts must be allowed to help in fighting terrorism, Marawi civic leader Samira Gutoc said on Wednesday.

“It is the security cluster. It is all men deciding […] are you listening from the women’s sector as well?” Gutoc told INQUIRER.net after the signing of the Otso Diretso covenant at UP’s Bahay ng Alumni in Quezon City.

“The President has to let the National Security Council be called to task the DND (Department of National Defense). We want women representation in the decision-making [process on] security,” she said, adding that a holistic approach to preventing crime and terrorism must be adopted.

She said women leaders must push for a holistic perspective of security and crime prevention as well as curbing violent extremism.

Gutoc then chided President Rodrigo Duterte on his remarks against women, noting that it may hinder decision-making on security.

“We ask the president right now: Dahil ba binabastos ang babae ngayon kaya hindi kami nagiging parte sa pagdedesisyon on security (Is it because women are now mistreated that we are not part of the decision-making on security)?” she said. /ee