17-10-2023 (MANILA) The National Security Council has revealed that two alleged operatives of the Hamas militant group, currently in conflict with Israel, attempted to establish ties with local extremists in the Philippines in 2018 and 2022. According to NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya, one of these individuals was a bomb expert who was apprehended and deported five years ago.
Malaya explained, “We saw there was intent by Hamas to launch activities in the Philippines. In fact, in 2018, there was a Hamas bomb maker that was arrested by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and deported to Turkey. And also last year, there was an operative that talked to local extremist groups in order to operate in our country.”
Based on investigations by the Philippine National Police (PNP), these Hamas operatives had four main objectives. Firstly, they aimed to target Jews in the Philippines. Secondly, they sought to raise funds, and thirdly, they intended to use social media to disseminate their propaganda. Lastly, they planned to stage rallies at embassies and various locations to create apparent disunity and chaos.
These revelations come in the context of National Security Adviser Eduardo Año’s recent announcement that the Anti-Terrorism Council in the Philippines will seek to have Hamas designated as a terrorist organization. Malaya emphasized that this move is in solidarity with Israel and is aimed at safeguarding the Philippines.
“We know that Hamas is a terrorist organization, that’s why it was declared as such by the United States, European Union, Australia, and many other countries,” Malaya stated.
He also highlighted that the Philippines had successfully thwarted the attempts by Hamas to establish a presence in the country in 2018 and 2022, thanks to the cooperation of other nations.
Malaya explained that designating Hamas as a terrorist organization would make it easier for Philippine authorities to apprehend its members, even without arrest warrants, and detain them for a specific period. It would also facilitate the freezing of assets of individuals or groups declared as terrorists by the Anti-Money Laundering Council, which would help curb terrorist financing.
“This is a clear message by the Philippine government that we won’t allow Hamas to operate here. We are making sure of the safety of our countrymen and expressing our solidarity with the state of Israel, with whom we have had a long and fruitful relation,” he emphasized.
In response to concerns that designating Hamas as a terrorist group might not resolve the ongoing conflict and violence in Israel and Gaza, Malaya clarified that the primary intention is not to resolve the problem. He acknowledged that the Palestinian question is a longstanding issue, and the Philippines does not aim to provide a solution.
