Law enforcement agencies should innovate to address the evolving threat of terrorism in the country.
Prof. Rommel Banlaoi, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism (PIPVTR), said since 9/11 attacks in New York, the terrorist threats in the country had only been diminished but not eliminated.
“The bottom line is, we need to outsmart the terrorists.” said Banlaoi, who spoke before participants of the recent 5th PSIS National Convention in Cebu City.
“The 9/11 attack is an ugly face of terrorism.” he said. Banlaoi said that the terrorism threat was always evolving globally.
He cited the Norway bombing which happened in July 22 this year where 76 people were killed.
Banlaoi emphasized the threat of Al-Qaeda terrorists, who were determined to destroy America and its allies.
He also cited the Jemaah Islamiyah group, which had at least 700 members and based in Indonesia.
“As early as 1990’s the J.I. was already in the Philippines and the 2000 Rizal Day bombing was their handiwork,” he said.
Closer to home, he also cited the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement, which was involved in this year’s August 2 bombing in Cotabato City.
He also underscored the the threat of the Abu Sayyaf Group, who had invented improvised bombs, which could be inserted in water jugs and kerosene lamps.
However, he said it would be up to the authorities to monitor the bad guys.
Senior Supt. Arturo Evangelista, Chief of Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division in Central Visayas, for his part, said that profiling would be a very important practice in the campaign against terrorism.
Evangelista, who was one of the speakers of the recently held 5th PSIS National Convention in Cebu City, said the profiling of terrorists would include the most current intelligence report of a person.
He said this would help authorities to identify activities of terrorists and perhaps prevent them from carrying out their terror plans. /Correspondent Rhea Ruth V. Rosell