mr president this horrendous crime in maguindanao is undoubtedly deserving of our strongest condemnation
it reveals the extent to which lawlessness has taken root in some parts of the philippines
there are many reasons for this depressing development the dispersed nature of the islands of the philippines archipelago the weak central government corruption poverty and an ongoing islamist terrorist insurgency supported by al-qaeda in the south
this crime apparently politically motivated therefore must be seen in its wider social and historical context
we should not disregard the efforts that the philippine government has made to develop a more democratic political culture in the past twenty-five years following the fall of the kleptocratic dictator ferdinand marcos
nor should we underestimate the existentialist threat posed by the terrorists of abu sayyaf and how they are destabilising the whole of the society that makes up the philippine state
constructive engagement and targeted assistance offer the best chance of helping the philippines a country which shares our common values in many ways in order to enable them to embed the rule of law in central and in local government
