AFP blames weak anti-terror law for existence of NPA rebels

MANILA — The country’s weak anti-terrorism law has been a major factor for the continued existence of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in the last 50 years, according to Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr.

As the government’s enforcer of martial law in Mindanao, Galvez said that at present, the Philippines’ anti-terror law is a far cry compared with those that are currently being enforced in other countries in the region.

“That is the reason why the (CPP-NPA has) existed for 50 years,” he said when he faced defense and military reporters Friday afternoon to lay down the positive impact of the enforcement of martial law in Mindanao on the peace and order situation in the entire region.

While existing anti-terror law in other countries allow longer incarceration or the holding of suspected terrorists, government security forces in the country have only three days to detain for custodial debriefing any arrested terror suspect or suspects.

Within this three-day custodial period, government security forces are required to establish with a strong case against these suspects; otherwise, as the law requires, these suspects must be released.

This weak anti-terror law, Galvez pointed out, has rendered government security forces toothless against known suspected terror suspects.—Philstar.com