Philippines: Will the anti-terror bill crush communists, or give them a boost?

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte delivering a speech. - AFP

HONG KONG July 26 (SCMP/ANN): After more than five decades of fighting communist rebels, the Armed Forces of the Philippines is eager to use the country’s new Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) to decisively end Asia’s longest-running insurgency – by using the legislation to label these groups and individuals as terrorists.

Opinions in the South-East Asian nation have long been split over whether the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its military arm the New People’s Army (NPA) – which are dedicated to overthrowing the government – should be put in the same bracket as terrorist groups operating in the Philippines, such as the Abu Sayyaf and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.