Education of public on extremism pushed
THE PHILIPPINE National Police views extremism at different levels, particularly in the form of recruitment and educational phases being done by radicals and extremists in various parts of the archipelago.
National Capital Region Police Office spokesperson Chief Inspector Kimberly Molitas said in the midst of all the preparations that were done and the preventive measures that were implemented, there is still a need for the public to be educated on the form of idealism extremist groups believe in to prevent them from being able to intrude in peaceful communities around the country and create trouble in the future.
The NCRPO spokesperson explained law enforcers and other authorities counter the problem by trying to implement the necessary measures which have been established and written in the law enforcement bodies, not just the PNP but every agency involved in the Anti-terrorism Council who are educating the public on what is going on about terrorism considering the expected threats of terrorism to the country’s table peace and order.
During the recent Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) meeting in Apayao, a commissioner of the NCMF alleged some of the graduates from some learning institutions in Baguio City have been involved in illegal acts linked to radicalism and terrorism, especially in some parts of the country, after undergoing rigid training and participating in violent activities leading to extremism overseas.
It also presented the dispatch abroad of Muslim scholars studying in some Saudi-inspired institutions in Baguio City to join their colleagues in extremism movements before coming back to the Philippines, particularly in Marawi City, who have joined in the violent takeover by
the Maute group some five months ago, advocating their political and religious agenda.
Molitas pointed out the threat of terrorism is always there, thus, the public must be very vigilant, informed and educated on what extremism is really about.
“We are also happy that we have the cooperation of the Muslim communities helping us so that we really bring across the right message to them and to the youth who are now being curious of what really extremism and terrorism is all about,” she added.
Extremism is where ideology, like political views and ideas, are taken far from mainstream which often violate the common moral standards and the same leads towards violence that disrupts the peace and order situation of a certain area.