CAMP DARAPANAN, Maguindanao — Foreign terrorists continue to “penetrate” areas in southern Philippines, a Muslim rebel leader admitted Sunday, but said a new law implementing its peace agreement could help root out violent extremism.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) began galvanizing public support behind the Bangsamoro Organic Law, with its head saying it would eventually “isolate” extremists.

“We know that extremism is penetrating more in our area because there are foreign elements trying to penetrate,” MILF chairman Murad Ebrahim told a press conference following a gathering of more than 90,000 supporters here.

Murad said a small group of violent extremists was still getting support from some communities “because they see that the problem is not being addressed.”

Poverty, crime, and the lack of opportunities in areas in the south have made many young Muslims susceptible to recruitment by violent extremists, experts warned.

Last year, ISIS-affiliated terrorists from the Maute family seized the Islamic city of Marawi, waging a five-month battle that killed close to a thousand of them.

Murad said successfully implementing the new Bangsamoro law would later convince communities to consider them as “saboteurs.”

The new ministerial government, he said, would give priority to education, health and other social services, and job creation.