The Philippines and UNODC collaborate to counter the financing of terrorism
Manila (Philippines), 2 May 2011 - From 28 to 31 March, the Government of the Philippines with the support of UNODC organized a workshop on "The Philippine Bill and Drafting Regulatory Framework on Countering the Financing of Terrorism".
Over the past several years, the Philippines and UNODC have collaborated closely on various aspects of criminal justice responses to terrorism, ranging from the provision of expert briefings to legislators and technical support for drafting legislation on extradition and countering the financing of terrorism.
The workshop was a follow-up of UNODC collaboration with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on the "Financing of Terrorism Convention Project Philippines/Sri Lanka", which ran from April 2010 to February 2011. It was organized by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Secretariat of the Philippines.
Participating in the Workshop were 12 officials from relevant authorities with direct roles relating to reviewing and processing the bill further. These included the AMLC Secretariat, the Anti-Terrorism Council, the Committee on Justice Division of the House of Representative, the Committee on Public Order and Safety of the House of Representative, the Senate Committee on Public Order and Illegal Drugs, Department of Justice, and the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Workshop participants adjusted the Philippine Bill on countering the financing of terrorism in accordance with national legal contexts and perspectives. They identified areas that need to be covered in the drafting of its implementing rules and regulations.
Speaking during the workshop, Executive Director of the AMLC Secretariat, Mr. Vicente S. Aquino noted that "the workshop was very useful and most timely in supporting legislative developments in the Philippines to counter the financing of terrorism".
The Government of the Philippines and UNODC are also currently undertaking consultations on a potential "East and South-East Asian Partnership on Criminal Justice Responses to Terrorism".
