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THE
military said Tuesday that the “extreme” terror alert
level will stay in Central Mindanao, and the Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), apparently because of
the continuous threats the intelligence community has
been receiving.
Lt. Col.
Bartolome Bacarro, Armed Forces spokesman, however,
refused to reveal the “military holdings” on alleged
terrorist threats.
He also
clarified that the declaration of the extreme terror
alert level by the National Intelligence Coordinating
Agency starting June,
was not made solely because of the terror threats but
because there were incidents that occurred before.
Bacarro
was referring to the successive bombings in Tacurong
City, Sultan Kudarat; Cotabato City, and Shariff
Kabunsuan during and after the May 14 elections.
And
since the terror alert level is still on extreme level,
Bacarro said the military in the said areas remains on
high alert.
“What we
are doing right now, itaas iyong level ng
alertness ng mga sundalo sa area,” Bacarro told
Camp Aguinaldo reporters.
Bacarro
would not say if the extreme alert level was the basis
of the US travel advisory on its citizens in the
country, but said he believed that it was triggered by a
series of incidents that included the recent abduction
of a German and three Filipinos in Pikit, North Cotabato.
“The
very reason kung bakit by the start of June
ang terror alert level natin is at the
extreme dahil may mga nangyari sa Cotabato so
siguro they [US Embassy officials] are just trying
to safeguard ang interest . . . ang safety ng
kanilang mga citizens dito,” Bacarro said.
He said
that besides the Asian terror Group Jema’ah Islamiyah
and the Abu Sayyaf, the military is also monitoring some
lawless elements in the area particularly the Pentagon
kidnap-for-ransom group.
Bacarro
said that Nica, the Armed Forces and other government
agencies concerned are conducting periodic assessment on
the terror threat and based on their latest evaluation,
the severe or extreme alert stays. |
