MALOLOS CITY – Anti-crime advocate Teresita Ang-See called on the government to be careful in using “terrorist tag” as it encourage lawless elements to further what she described as nefarious activities.
“They should not easily tag any group as terrorist because it somehow gives the group credit,” Ang-See said.
She cited increasing incidence of kidnap-for-ransom cases particularly in Mindanao where members of the Filipino-Chinese community, Filipino and some Indian national became victims.
Ang-See said the terrorist tag glorifies the activities of the groups.
“There is a difference between terrorist and plain lawless elements,” she said in an interview after a Regional Trial Court (RTC) here sentenced on Monday five persons accused in the kidnapping of Filipino-Chinese siblings and their driver in Quezon City nine years ago.
Ang-See said terrorists usually adhere to a certain ideology, but plain lawless elements do now saying they just want money.
She cited the experience of broadcast journalist Ces Drilon who was kidnapped last year in Mindanao.
According to Ang-See, during the captivity of Drilon, the broadcast journalist was able to interview her abductors and asked why they are doing it.
“Ces’ captors admitted they just want money, so, there is no ideology involved in it,” the anti-crime advocate said.
She also called on for reforms in the judiciary to hasten cases pending in lower courts.
She cited the case of Jessica Co-Ang which was decided on Monday and the case of Ann Mei Ling which was decided months ago.
“It took the court an average of almost nine years to decide on the two cases, you can just imagine the ordeal the victims have to go through the time of the prosecution,” she said.
Ang-See noted that after Co-Ang filed charges against her abductors in late 2001, she received numerous threats.
There are also times that Co-Ang was followed and felt being watched in her residence as suspicious men in vehicles used to park in front of her house.
However, Co-Ang remained focused and was able to muster enough courage to pursue the case against her abductors who were sentenced to life imprisonment on Monday.
“They should not easily tag any group as terrorist because it somehow gives the group credit,” Ang-See said.
She cited increasing incidence of kidnap-for-ransom cases particularly in Mindanao where members of the Filipino-Chinese community, Filipino and some Indian national became victims.
Ang-See said the terrorist tag glorifies the activities of the groups.
“There is a difference between terrorist and plain lawless elements,” she said in an interview after a Regional Trial Court (RTC) here sentenced on Monday five persons accused in the kidnapping of Filipino-Chinese siblings and their driver in Quezon City nine years ago.
Ang-See said terrorists usually adhere to a certain ideology, but plain lawless elements do now saying they just want money.
She cited the experience of broadcast journalist Ces Drilon who was kidnapped last year in Mindanao.
According to Ang-See, during the captivity of Drilon, the broadcast journalist was able to interview her abductors and asked why they are doing it.
“Ces’ captors admitted they just want money, so, there is no ideology involved in it,” the anti-crime advocate said.
She also called on for reforms in the judiciary to hasten cases pending in lower courts.
She cited the case of Jessica Co-Ang which was decided on Monday and the case of Ann Mei Ling which was decided months ago.
“It took the court an average of almost nine years to decide on the two cases, you can just imagine the ordeal the victims have to go through the time of the prosecution,” she said.
Ang-See noted that after Co-Ang filed charges against her abductors in late 2001, she received numerous threats.
There are also times that Co-Ang was followed and felt being watched in her residence as suspicious men in vehicles used to park in front of her house.
However, Co-Ang remained focused and was able to muster enough courage to pursue the case against her abductors who were sentenced to life imprisonment on Monday.
