WHILE proclaiming that the death of Osama bin Laden signals a “defeat” for extremists and terrorists, President Aquino on Monday stressed that we should not be lulled into complacency, as he assured the public that the government has taken “all relevant precautions and steps” to ensure their safety.

In a statement read by Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda, Mr. Aquino said, “The world must continue to consistently and courageously raise its collective voice against religious hatred, political intolerance, and terrorism of all kinds. We must remain vigilant and united in pursuing peace, pluralism, and collective efforts at security.”

The President added that the death of bin Laden “is not just an achievement for the United States but for the Philippines as well” as “it has brought justice to over a dozen Filipinos who lost their lives on September 11, 2001 in the World Trade Center.”

“Together with my national security team, we continue to take all relevant precautions and steps to ensure the safety of our people. We, as a democratic and free people, remain committed to fighting terrorism and are in solidarity with the peoples of the United Nations,” he said.

Lacierda said in a news briefing that the President is in “constant communication” with National Security Adviser Cesar Garcia, and with the Armed Forces, the National Police, and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) “so everything is in place—the necessary precautions are there.”

Asked whether the government is prepared for possible retaliatory attacks in the wake of bin Laden’s death, Lacierda said that the Philippine National Police (PNP) has been “on full alert” since Holy Week while Armed Forces Chief Gen. Eduardo Oban has directed military intelligence officials “to do an assessment of the situation” and for operations officials “to monitor the situation in Mindanao.”

“The PNP, on the other hand, has increased its security patrols over the diplomatic areas and we are making sure that the areas of convergence are all protected and enhanced. There’s a hardening of target areas,” he said.

Following the news of bin Laden’s death on Monday, authorities immediately put into place the tightest security alert at the Naia to prevent any attempts by “sleeper cells” or any terrorists from doing harm.

Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) general manager Jose “Angel” Honrado ordered his assistant general manager for security and emergency services retired Major General Vicente Guerzon Jr., to place the entire Airport 
in full alert.

“We have placed Naia and other airports in the country on heightened alert effective 12 noon [Monday] in connection with the death of Osama bin Laden,” Guerzon said.

As a precautionary measure, Guerzon said he has placed security measures that shall immediately respond to any form of terrorist attack. Strict implementation of access on personnel and vehicles are in place and personnel are instructed to conduct rigid inspection on all vehicles going to the airport or any place within the Naia complex. Police visibility has also been intensified while authorities doubled its K-9 patrols at the terminals and its perimeters.

However, Guerzon added that there is no clear threat to the Naia at the moment.

Lacierda said the government has always maintained a high level of vigilance against terrorism and “because of this unprecedented event, we’re making sure that all the agencies are in place and all the steps are in place.”

“Right now, we are not aware of any possible retaliatory attacks but, again, we are—like the President said—we have taken all relevant precautions and steps to ensure the security and safety of our people,” Lacierda said.

Lacierda also said the government has “a study and an assessment” on the strength of the Abu Sayyaf, which is known to have links with al-Qaeda, but declined to give details.

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said in a press statement that as chair of the Antiterrorism Council, he has “reiterated to our national security agencies the importance of maintaining ongoing measures to secure our country from terrorist threats.”

“We ask the public to be alert and request your cooperation as we continue to work to ensure the safety of our people,”

The military expressed confidence the death of al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden will lead to the isolation of the local terrorist group Abu Sayyaf that would lead to its eventual demise.

For his part, Oban said the death of the foremost international terrorist on the US list will cut the ties of the local bandits with the al-Qaeda-linked Jema’ah Islamiyah (JI).

“The AFP is optimistic that Osama’s death would lead to the eventual demise of the link of the local terrorist group with the JI which has links with bin Laden’s Al Qaeda,” he said.

Oban said the death of the terrorist leader should boost the government’s campaign not only against his local believers and supporters but even with all lawless groups, as this would give the military the opportunity to concentrate with the IPSP Bayanihan.

Still, the military chief said they would maintain their vigilance, especially in Mindanao, owing to the possible retaliatory attacks from the Abu Sayyaf, other lawless groups and even the JI, whose some members were reported to be present in the country.

But while the military raised its vigilance, military spokesman Comm. Miguel Rodriguez said they do not need to augment their forces in Mindanao and even in Metro Manila as measures have been put in place.

“We are always vigilant. Maybe they [local rebel groups] are thinking of a retaliatory act but we are always prepared for that because these are expected,” he said.

In Mindanao, Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) chief Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer placed on alert all the troops within Wesmincom area in preparation for a possible retaliatory attack from bin Laden’s terrorist network.

“While it will negatively affect the morale of his terrorist network, we cannot discount that some of his followers will plan for retaliatory actions,” Ferrer said.

“To this, we have alerted our units of possible repercussion of bin Laden’s death,” he added.

Wesmincom troops are also continuously pursuing the Abu Sayyaf bandits, a local militant group with links with the JI, bin Laden al-Qaeda’s terrorist cell in Asia, in Western Mindanao.

The Abu Sayyaf bandits are still holding captive Filipino-Chinese businessman Largio Tam Delos Santos, 59, who owns a resort and a restaurant. The Abu Sayyaf kidnapped de los Santos from his resort in barangay Lanote, Isabela City, the capital of Basilan province, last December 16.

Another Filipino-Chinese businessman identified as Nelson Lim, 67, was recently kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf bandits in the province of Sulu.

A coalition of several civil-society organizations that worked closely in the peace process in Mindanao expressed doubt that violence would cease “with the death of another one of those personalities they ascribed to the aggression in many parts of the world.”

“Would it stop the Abu Sayyaf from continuing its attacks and issue threats?” asked Mary Ann Arnado, secretary-general of the Mindanao People’s Caucus, which was granted an observer status in the talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

She said that US and allied forces have stopped Saddam Hussein and neutralized Iraq, “but the story of aggression [against the US] has continued.”

(With Recto Mercene, Zaff Solmerin, Manuel Cayon and Rene Acosta)