Umar Patek addresses fellow militants in an Abu Sayyaf mountain encampment on southern Jolo island sometime in 2007 in southern Philippines. (Photo: AP)
by Jojo Malig, abs-cbnNEWS.com
Posted at 09/16/2011 11:23 PM | Updated as of 09/17/2011 12:58 AM
MANILA, Philippines - New Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Nicanor Bartolome on Friday said there is no need to raise a full security alert status in Metro Manila in response to reported terrorism threats.
In an interview with ANC's The Rundown on Friday, Bartolome said reports of possible bomb threats in Metro Manila are raw.
"In our discussions with our counterparts from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and other enforcement agencies, we are of the same thinking that there are no specific threats [on Metro Manila] as of the moment," Bartolome said.
He added that recent terrorist incidents happened only in Mindanao.
"The situation there is different. Here in Metro Manila, we still do not need to raise the alert status to full," Bartolome clarified.
He admitted that the police alert status in Metro Manila was raised slightly to deal with any emergency.
"We only raised the alert to only heighetened. This is to ensure that if there is a need for additional personnel, for whatever reason like criminality or lawlessness, we can have a ready force," he said. "We should not worry. Our security forces are doing their best to ensure security and peace."
The new PNP chief added that he has discussed the security situation in Mindanao with Police Director Felicisimo Khu Jr. of the PNP Directorate for Integrated Police Operations-Western Mindanao.
"He told me that this is also raw information. It does not speak of any confirmation of any validated report," Bartolome said.
Khu was earlier quoted to have said that Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) members Basit Usman and Zulkifli Binhir are behind an alleged plan to sow terror in Metro Manila, Davao, and General Santos City.
"That is another report that needs to be validated," Bartolome said.
"In so many reports in the past, Basit Usman has been appearing in so many places in Mindanao, so he is just one of these being implicated whenever bombs explode," he added.
"For now, we cannot really say 100% he is the one involved. We will continue with our investigation," he said.
Bartolome added that it was also the first time he heard of reports that terrorists planned to use LPG tanks in their attacks.
No confirmed report on JI terror plan
Khu, meanwhile, denied an ABS-CBN news report that the JI will bomb Digos, Davao City and Metro Manila.
In a statement to ABS-CBN News, Khu said there was initial intelligence information about an alleged terrorism attack in June but it was not confirmed.
He added that a motorcycle bomb cited in another part of the new report "was recovered at Lun Masla Bridge, Malapatan, Sarangani before the 2010 May election in a foiled attempt to bomb candidate for Governor Migs Dominguez."
"A person (who happened to be one of the bomb makers) was arrested months later in checkpoint while in possession of a grenade," Khu said.
He added that one suspect, Zabide Abdul, is neither a JI member nor a foreign terrorist, "but a Filipino/Maguindanaoan bomb-maker."
"He is not planning to bomb Davao City and Metro Manila," Khu said.
"It was always emphasized that these are intel reports and we keep on validating them," he added. "Joint Task Force Kutawato is on Level 3 Alert for IED as a proactive measure to counter these intel reports."
