President Duterte on Tuesday made no hesitation in listing terrorism and illegal-drug trade on top of the agenda of the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit, urging the region to face and resolve these issues once and for all.
As the country approaches the last phase of its chairmanship of the Asean, the President called on its leaders and dialogue partners to address the growing threat of Islamist extremism in the region, along with other security threats.
“Terrorism and violent extremism endanger the peace, stability and security of our region because these threats know no boundaries,” Duterte said.
“Piracy and armed robbery in the seas put a dent on our growth and disrupt the stability of both regional and global commerce. The menace of illegal drug trade continues to endanger the very fabric of our societies,” the President added.
“These and other issues are high on the agenda of our meetings, along with the other nontraditional security issues that challenge the prosperity of our economies, the integrity of our institutions and, more important, the safety of our people,” Duterte said.
The President told Asean leaders to make use of the summit as an avenue to come up with strategies on how to address the Islamic State creeping toward Southeast Asia.
Speaking by experience, Duterte recalled how government forces had to combat Daesh-inspired Maute Group terrorists in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur. The fighting took five months to finish, claimed more than 1,000 lives in the process and displaced about 300,000 people.
“Less than a month ago, Philippine government forces liberated the city of Marawi from terrorist groups who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. Resolute, we are now in the process of helping people back on their feet to reclaim their lives,” the Chief Executive said.
“I only want to emphasize that our meetings for the next two days present an excellent opportunity for us to engage in meaningful discussion on matters of regional and international importance,” the President added.
Aside from addressing security issues, Duterte said other outcome documents are also expected to be signed during the summit, which will conclude on Tuesday.
This includes the Asean Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of Rights of Migrant Workers, which will serve as the implementing rules and regulations to the Asean Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrants Workers signed in 2007. “I will be joining other Asean leaders [on Tuesday] in signing this landmark document that would strengthen social protection, access to justice, humane and fair treatment and access to health services for our people,” the President said.