Terrorism Released

It is the locating, identifying and capturing of terrorists that is supposed to be the hard part of the war on terror. As soon as a suspect is in custody, the tables are meant to turn as interrogators get tough on the terrorist. However, in the Philippines last week, as self-confessed Indonesian bombmaker Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi and two Abu Sayyaf kidnap-gang members strolled out of a supposedly high-security prison cell on July 14, we were reminded yet again that this war is only as effective as the most hapless institution drafted into the fight.

Indeed, Metro Manila's...