Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said that the Duterte administration has attained various notable achievements in terms of ensuring peace and order in the country, particularly the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
In a statement on Friday, Andanar said that the BARMM is one of the legacies of President Duterte insofar as attaining lasting peace in Mindanao is concerned.
"Ilang administrasyon 'yan na ipinaglaban pero ngayon lang sa panahon ni Presidente Duterte naging batas (Many administrations have pushed for it, but it was only now during the term of President Duterte that it became a law),” he said.
Republic Act 11054 or the Bangsamoro Organic Law allowed the Muslim community in Mindanao to have the autonomy to pursue its political, economic, social, and cultural development in its indicated jurisdiction.
The legislation culminates the peace agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) that spanned for 17 years since its talks started in 1997.
Campaigns vs drugs, criminality
According to Andanar, the administration’s anti-criminality and anti-illegal drugs campaigns have pushed back the number of crimes reported across the country. He said the crime volume in the country has dropped by at least 64 percent since Duterte took office.
Along with this, more than P50 billion worth of illegal drugs have been seized; more than 700 drug dens have been dismantled; and more than 1.2 million drug dependents have voluntarily surrendered themselves to be rehabilitated, to date.
"Mas panatag na ang loob ng ating mga kababayan na maglakad pauwi dahil ay kumbinsido na hindi sila mabibiktima ng krimen (Our countrymen are more at ease, that they can walk home knowing they will not be victims of crime)," he said.
"Mayroon na pong law and order . We now have law and order)," he added.
Andanar likewise cited the other initiatives of the administration, including ending schemes in airports such as the tanim-bala extortion scheme and the so-called pastillas scheme.
Insurgency
Meanwhile, Andanar said the government has reported significant strides in terms of its anti-insurgency bid in conflict-affected areas in the countryside through the creation of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
He said more than 18,000 rebels have surrendered to the authorities because of the whole-of-nation approach. He added that this approach has been successful in convincing communist rebels to give up the armed struggle as there are readily available programs and projects that will help them reintegrate into their communities.
He likewise cited the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, which was signed by President Duterte to give the country more teeth in curbing threats and acts of terrorism.