Visa-free travel gives terrorists easy way in

Scheme allowing transit between Indonesia and Davao del Sur makes it easy for radicals to enter

Gilbert P. Felongco Amid reports that an Indonesian was among those killed during the Mamasapano encounter, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chief peace negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said the query is not far-fetched. Iqbal said similarities in appearances could mislead some into assuming that a person is Indonesian.

According to recent reports, published in the aftermath of the incident in Mamasapano that left 44 police commandos and more than a dozen MILF members killed, among those who died in the encounter last January 25 was Amir Ibrahim, allegedly an Indonesian.

“The Indonesians are our brothers, especially for the Muslims because they are also [of] Malay [stock],” he said.

Aside from similarities in features, the MILF official also said that a visa-free arrangement between Davao del Sur and Indonesia makes it easier for terrorists to enter southern Philippines.

Iqbal, in a report published by the MILF’s Luwaran website, also said under a special scheme Indonesians could travel freely from Davao del Sur to Indonesia and vice versa without a visa. This poses concerns because it is difficult to determine a foreigner’s true intentions.

Easy entry

Philippine intelligence service reports said that as early as 2000, Indonesian and Malaysian terrorists were able to enter the country. Some had trained as part of the Jemaah Islamiyah in camps of the MILF.

“The MILF has no links with the terrorist groups like the Jemaah Islamiyah,” Iqbal said. The encounter was the result of a police operation to capture or kill Malaysian bomb maker Zulfikli bin Hir, also known as Marwan, and Filipino terrorist Basit Usman.

Marwan was killed while Usman was able to escape.