Philippine officials designate 11 insurgents `terrorists’

By JIM GOMEZ
Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine government has designated a former peace negotiator and five other suspected communist rebel leaders as “terrorists” to allow the freezing of their financial assets, which it says could be used to finance attacks. The Anti-Terrorism Council also branded as terrorists five commanders of the Abu Sayyaf, a small but violent Muslim militant group. Communist and Muslim insurgencies are among key security problems President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stands to inherit when he takes office on June 30. Although weakened by decades of offensives, infighting and factionalism, the insurgents remain national security threats. The rebel leaders accused of membership in the Communist Party of the Philippines are led by Luis Jalandoni, a former Roman Catholic priest.