[PressTV] A Philippine court has declared the Abu Sayyaf as a terrorist entity, intensifying an ongoing government crackdown on the insurgent group operating mostly in the south and west of the country. Prosecutors that the designation could help the government hunt down Abu Sayyaf militants and impose sanctions on its supporters.State prosecutor Aristotle Reyes said, "This is one more way to turn our country into a hostile ground for terrorists," adding that the ruling came after some top Abu Sayyaf commanders pledged their allegiance to Daesh.
The decision was a rare use of Philippines’ anti-terrorism law, with many saying it was apparently influenced by a previous such designation in the United States. Abu Sayyaf is now the first militant group to be officially banned in the Philippines while authorities said they will follow the same procedure for at least three other militant entities.