Philippines Designates Hamas as Terror Organizaton

Jerusalem, 17 October, 2023 (TPS) -- MANILA, Oct. 17, 2023 (PNA)
The Philippine National Security Council designated Hamas as a terror organization on Monday.

The NSC stressed that its decision to list Hamas as a terror group under the Philippines’ anti-terrorism law was neither instigated by the United States nor Israel.

“We are doing it, again, because of our national interest,” NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said in a briefing on Monday.

Malaya said the designation of Hamas as a terrorist organization was done after earlier investigations revealed that Hamas attempted to infiltrate and launch terrorist activities in the Philippines.

“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,” Malaya said.

“We are doing this in solidarity with the people and state of Israel which we know have been the subject of a brazen and deadly terrorist attack in the hands of the Hamas terrorist organization,” he added.

Malaya stressed that Hamas has already been declared a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, Australia and many other nations.

The Hamas attack on communities near the Gaza border killed more than 1,400 Israelis and injured over 4,100. At least 199 hostages were taken to Gaza.