Poe condemns beheading of Canadian, vows to go after terrorists

Presidential aspirant Senator Grace Poe. FILE PHOTO

Presidential candidate Senator Grace Poe on Tuesday vowed to go after terrorists if elected President as she condemned the beheading of a Canadian national held captive by members of the Abu Sayyaf Group.

READ: Head of ‘Abu Sayyaf captive’ dumped on Sulu street – police

“Doon sa nangyaring pagpupugot ng ulo, talagang importante na sa ating gobyerno huwag nating pababayaan ang mga ganitong uri ng mga terorista sa ating bansa (With the Abu Sayyaf’s beheading of a Canadian national, it is important that the government doesn’t neglect these kinds of terrorists in our country),” Poe said in an interview in Vigan, Ilocos Sur on Tuesday.

“Siguraduhin natin na habulin natin sila at mapanagot sila sapagkat hindi dapat mangamba ang mga pumupunta rito at lalong-lalo na ang ating mga sariling kababayan (We will make sure to go after them and hold them liable [for their crime] because tourists and most especially our own countrymen should not be afraid to be here in our country),” she said.

Poe said the terrorists must be pursued and brought to justice.

While going after the terrorists, she said, the government must also provide for an “all-out development” of Mindanao.

READ: Poe: We need justice, not violence

“Yung mga pag-uusap ay dapat nating ipagpatuloy. Pero kasabay nang pagbibigay ng pangako, dapat umpisahan na natin pagtatayo ng mas maraming kalsada para mabigyan ng trabaho. Kasi naniniwala ako mas mahirap makaka-recruit ng kakampi ang mga terorista kung merong kabuhayan at trabaho ang ating mga kababayan doon,” she said.

(The talks should be pursued. But as we make promises, we should start building more roads so the people would be given job opportunities. I believe that terrorists would find it difficult to recruit members if our countrymen there have sources of income.)

Poe would not say, however, if an all-out war could put an end to terrorist activities in the region.

“Ako, naniniwala ako na may mga ibang elemento na kailangan tukuyin doon. Pagdating sa akin, naniniwala ako all-out development pero siguraduhin natin na matukoy natin itong mga lugar ng mga terorista at puntahan natin sila doon; at dapat talaga ay mahuli at mapanagot sila,” she said.

(I believe there are other elements that need to be identified there. I believe in all-out development but we have to ensure that we would identify the areas with terrorists. We have to go there and they should be captured and held liable.)

During a rally in the province, Poe reiterated that even as a woman, she could ensure the safety of the people if she became President.

READ: Poe: Killing is not always the solution

“Mga kababayan, bilang isang pangulong babae, sisiguraduhin ko ang kaligtasan ninyo. Hindi man ako personal ang nakikipagbarilan, sisiguraduhin ko na ang mga itatalaga kong pulis, provincial head ng PNP (Philippine National Police) ay matitino. At kapag hindi napababa ang problema ng krimen at droga, huwag nang pahintayin ng ilang buwan, alisin na agad,” she said.

(My countrymen, as a woman president, I will ensure your safety. I may not personally open fire at the enemies but I will make sure that I will assign decent policemen and PNP provincial heads. And if the incidents of crimes and drugs don’t lessen, I would fire them immediately and not wait for months to remove them from their posts.)

“Hindi po bala ang sagot sa lahat ng problema. Ang sagot sa problema natin ay ang tunay na pagtulong na maiibsan ang kahirapan sa ating bayan,” she added.

(Killing is not the answer to all the problems. The answer to our problem is genuine assistance to alleviate poverty in our country.) RAM