Malacañang on Thursday expressed concern over a statement made by a Turkish envoy, claiming that a Turkish terror group has infiltrated the Philippines, which, if true, would solidify foreign involvement in terror activities in Mindanao.
In a news statement, Presidential Spokesman Ernesto C. Abella said defense officials are now validating the report of Turkish Ambassador Esra Cankorur that Turkish terrorists have long been staying in southern Philippines.
“The military is verifying the statement of Turkish Ambassador Esra Cankorur regarding the presence of Turkish terrorists, particularly the Fethullah Gulen Movement, in the Philippines,” Abella said.
“We will investigate organizations abetting or aiding terrorism and will hold them accountable, especially those that may be working as fronts for terrorist and criminal activities, as alleged by the ambassador,” Abella added.
In a television interview, Cankorur said the Fethullah Gulen Movement had been in the Philippines for so long already, clutching its foundations through a school in Zamboanga and some cultural groups.
“This is their façade…as civic-education institutions and innocent charity organizations. That will be a huge mischaracterization; that is wrong…just a façade. They talk about interfaith dialogue, but they are concealing themselves,” Cankorur said.
“We consider Fethullah Gulen Movement as a terrorist organization or persons linked or affiliated to that group is like sleeping cells,” Cankorur added.
To this, Abella said the government is coordinating with its foreign counterparts to neutralize probable attacks from the Turkey-based terror group.
“We are also working closely with all other nations to combat terrorism. This is now a global threat that can be better addressed through a unified effort,” Abella said.
Defense officials monitoring the conflict in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur, has confirmed foreign fighters were among the Islamic State militants security forces encountered in the battlefield.
The most recent, according to military Spokesman Restituto F. Padilla Jr. on Wednesday, was the recovery of two Singaporean-looking cadavers in Marawi City.
“Initially, they said [these were] the remains or could be the remains of a foreign fighter and allegedly a Singaporean. [However], we don’t have yet enough proof to validate this information and we are working to do that along with the police,” Padilla said.
He added this development only strengthens the government’s claim that there are foreign fighters on the side of IS militants in Marawi City.