Cogs in the Wheel

PVP Roy Golez Interviewed by TV5 on Counterterrorism

Former National Security Adviser and Rotary Club of Manila PVP Roilo "Roy" Golez was interviewed by TV 5 last December 28, 2017 on the country's counterterrorism program focusing on Marawi and the NPA. Golez emphasized the three pillars of counterterrorism, the template:

1. Enhance intelligence: To be able to anticipate and prevent a major terrorist attack;

2. Harden targets through deployment of counterterrorism forces, coordination with local government security units and the private sector and implementation of on-site security measures;

3. Incident management: Should a strike happen, there should be quick response and aim is to restore normalcy and business as usual.

Marawi provides so many lessons learned to enhance and strengthen the country's counterterrorism capability. With martial not yet lifted and massive rehabilitation work required, we are still in the Incident Management mode. We must aim at terminating martial law as soon as possible to be able to show the world (in counterterrorism, we always assume "The world is watching" and grading us) that we have restored normalcy. We need to upgrade our urban warfare capability through personnel training and acquisition of modern urban warfare weapons and equipment.

In the case of the NPA, Golez agrees with the suspension of the peace talks but should always keep the peace option open. The CPP-NPA has long abused the peace process by using the space to recruit and propagandize. The President is correct in using the mailed fist to react to NPA attacks on the PNP which is a civilian unit performing its duty to maintain peace and order in the community. The police should not be targeted by the NPA and any violation should be met with maximum force by the government.