Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 13) — The Indonesian government is seeking a dialogue with Philippine and Malaysian officials to discuss counterterrorism efforts, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said Monday.
“The Indonesian foreign minister is proposing a meeting, a small conference wherein we’ll be able to talk about the situation and what we can do together with Malaysia,” Cayetano said.
Speaking after the 119th Philippine Independence Day rites held at Luneta, the foreign affairs chief reiterated the President’s claims that terrorists are looking to target Southeast Asia.
Cayetano added the Philippines, which has worked with Malaysia and Indonesia to drive out pirates and kidnappers from waters near Western Mindanao and Borneo Island, wants to cooperate with both countries to prevent terror threats from spreading.
“Unfortunately, nauna tayo [we were first] and we want to cooperate very well with Indonesia and Malaysia so that they won’t also suffer at the hands of the extremists,” he said.
Jakarta’s proposal comes amid efforts by the ISIS-inspired Maute forces to take over Marawi City, and government pronouncements claiming the move is part of the Islamic State’s (ISIS) plan to build a caliphate in Mindanao.
Aside from Maute forces, the Defense Department earlier said foreign terrorists — including two Malaysians and two Indonesians — believed to be members of ISIS were killed in clashes in Marawi.
READ: 8 foreign ‘ISIS members’ killed in Marawi – Lorenzana
Though military officials claimed the Maute group is trying to get ISIS recognition, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Cayetano insisted the international terror group is already in the Philippines.
Cayetano said money from ISIS is helping fund local terrorist operations, adding the group must be curbed immediately.
“What I’m saying is that we see the money. We see the high-caliber weapons, high-powered weapons. We see also the ISIS flags. So at this point in time, it’s more than an audition. Totoo at tama na ang ISIS nasa Pilipinas [It’s true and correct that ISIS is in the Philippines] and if we don’t act proactively, aggressively, quickly, it will spread,” he said.
Cayetano added, if ISIS loses its strongholds in Iraq and Syria, the terror group may have to look for another base.
“They were going to try to take over more than Marawi City…at least two or three cities in Mindanao. Definitely, the funding is there. Kaya nga sila nag-o-audition eh…kasi kung mawala yung ISIS o mawalan sila ng pwesto sa Iraq saka Syria, they’ll have to find another base,” he said.
Military operations against the Maute group are now on the fourth week. Following reports that the United States is extending technical assistance to troops in Marawi, Cayetano said help — particularly in intelligence sharing — is welcome from other allies.
