Duterte, Widodo, Najib planning to meet to discuss terrorism

August 30, 2017

President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday that he and his Indonesian and Malaysian counterparts are planning to meet and discuss the scourge of terrorism.

In a speech in Malacanang, Duterte said Indonesian President Joko Widodo suggested that the three of them meet.

"And Widodo and I have yet to hear from (Malaysian Prime Minister) Najib (Razak). He wants us, the three of us to meet somewhere to talk about this new phenomenon of international terrorism," he said.

Duterte cited the piracy problem of the three countries at the Malacca Strait.

"And that Malacca Strait there. The great expanse is the Sulu Sea then it gets to be constricted because you have to ply the Malacca Strait. That has become a very serious problem for everybody," he said.

Last June, the Philippines hosted a trilateral meeting, which was participated by the security and intelligence officials. They discussed about terrorism.

Duterte said the Philippines needs to  improve its military capability.

"And even with the Navy, we have to prop a lot of things. I do not need at this time the large, the gray ship. All I need are the fast boats to pursue the pirates and terrorists," he said.

He said he wants to add 12 more jet fighters from the existing 12 of the Air Force.

"But I need the fast boats and the powerful precision-guided missiles. That’s what I’ve been trying to get," he said.

Duterte said he did not know if Russia’s help is coming.

"(But) they said they will give. We are thanking them. And also with the Chinese. And, of course, to America," he said.

Duterte admitted that the government had been surprised of what happened in Marawi City where the Islamic State-inspired militants managed to stockpile weapons and occupy it.

"But you know, there’s a reason for that. They can only do it in places where they are the dominant population. They cannot do it anywhere," he said.

"This is not to alarm anybody but wherever they have large number. It could be Davao which has a large population of Moro...Zamboanga could be a very tempting target and even Manila," he added.

"But I don’t know if they will survive for another day of fighting," he said.

Government troopers are still pursuing the terrorists who started occupying Marawi on May 23. Celerina Monte/DMS