The Philippines today called for stronger international cooperation in the fight against terrorism, saying the victories against the Islamic State in Mosul, Raqqa and Marawi does not mean the group no longer poses a serious threat to the world.
“The defeat suffered by the Islamic State in Iraq, Syria, and the Philippines does not mean the fight is over,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano said in a statement released by the Department of Foreign Affairs a day after an Islamic State-inspired terrorist attack in New York killed eight people and seriously injured at least 11 others.
In his statement, Secretary Cayetano strongly condemned the truck attack in Manhattan on Wednesday, which authorities said was carried out by a Islamic State sympathizer from Uzbekistan. He also expressed his sympathies to the families of the victims, which included five Argentinians and one Belgian.
“The terrorist attacks in New York and other places abroad during the past several weeks tell us the threat remains real,” Secretary Cayetano said as he called on the international community to intensify its efforts in going after the Islamic State and its affiliate organizations around the world.
Secretary Cayetano said the fight against terrorism is a key priority of President Rodrigo Duterte and is among the issues that will be discussed in the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit and Related Meetings to be held in Manila this month.
“The Philippines is more than ready to do its share in helping make the world a safer place,” Secretary Cayetano said, adding that Manila is looking forward to cooperating with other countries, particularly in intelligence sharing and capacity-building as part of the country’s counterterrorism efforts.
The Secretary also expressed his appreciation to the United States, Australia, China, Russia and other countries for the assistance extended to the Philippines during the campaign to liberate Marawi from Islamic State-funded militants. (DFA-PR)
