(Eagle News) — The Philippine government hailed the inclusion of the Maute group in the United States list of foreign terrorist organizations.
“The official designation of the Maute Group as an affiliate group of ISIS and its inclusion in the US list of foreign terrorist organizations are positive developments in the campaign against terrorism,” said Presidential Spokesperson harry Roque in a statement.
“This reaffirms our long-held belief that the Maute Group is composed of local terrorists aided by foreign extremists. This likewise recognizes the decisive action we have taken in liberating Marawi from these terrorists, which resulted in the success of the government in thwarting the establishment of an Islamic caliphate in the area and the containing of the rebellion from spreading to other parts of the Philippines,” he said.
Roque said that “the inclusion of the Maute Group in the list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists and Foreign Terrorist Organizations as an affiliate group of ISIS shows the solidarity and resolve of the international community to flush out evil forces to make the world safe and secure.”
Washington’s decision to blacklist two local pro-Islamic State groups, including one which occupied the southern city of Marawi last year, was seen as an affirmation of what Philippine officials had said about the group.
“The (move) is an affirmation of what Philippine authorities already know — that the Maute Group and the Dawlah-Islamiya are terrorist groups that need to be dealt with decisively using the full force of the law,” a statement by the defense ministry in Manila said.
“They will be denied access to the US financial system and will face sanctions as may be deemed appropriate, making it more difficult for them to conduct their activities in the Philippines and abroad.”
Militants from the Maute group were routed from Marawi last October after a five-month battle sparked by its bid to establish an IS caliphate in the country’s southern Mindanao region.
The US, a long-time defense ally, helped Philippine forces with intelligence input, including reconnaissance flights, during the fighting which claimed more than 1,100 lives and reduced large parts of the city to rubble.
However the Philippine military warned last week that remaining members of the group have recruited about 200 gunmen to mount another attempt.
The Dawlatul Islamiyah, or Dawlah-Islamiya as designated by the Philippine defence ministry, is a smaller faction also based in Mindanao.
“We are profoundly committed to preventing ISIS from gaining (a) foothold in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia, and we should continue working together on this objective,” Philippine Foreign Undersecretary Ernesto Abella told reporters, using an acronym for IS.
Brigadier-General Bienvenido Datuin, spokesman for the Philippine military, said the US move would boost local counter-terrorism efforts.
“(A) specific advantage… is the checking of money trail, financial sources, logistics lines and conduits of terror groups in foreign countries that may have connections with local violent extremists,” he said.
Other armed Philippine groups that have made the US terror blacklist in previous years include the New People’s Army, waging a decades-old Maoist armed rebellion, and the Abu Sayyaf, which linked up with the Maute gunmen in Marawi last year.
(With a report from Agence France-Presse)
