AFP on red alert vs terror attacks in E. Mindanao

The military has placed its troops in Eastern Mindanao on red alert — the highest in its three-tiered alert level — to prevent possible retaliatory attacks by local terrorist groups following the killing of international terrorist leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan last Sunday. “We declared red alert as an anticipatory move, just in case," Lt. Gen. Arthur Tabaquero, commander of the Armed Forces’ Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom), said on Wednesday. “We cannot discount the possibility of retaliatory moves from those who are loyal to bin Laden. We are on red alert in case of any eventuality," he added. The declaration became effective Tuesday, Tabaquero said. Eastmincom covers the entire Region X (Northern Mindanao), XI (Davao Region), XII (SOCCSKSARGEN), XIII (CARAGA Region), and portion of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). The Philippine National Police (PNP) has placed its forces in the entire Mindanao on full alert after bin Laden was killed in a US-led raid in Pakistan. Tabaquero said they have deployed more forces in urban and populated places like airports, seaports and bus stations, in coordination with the PNP, to ensure security in these areas. “Our task forces are focused in the cities, we have added forces there, and we have increased the frequency of our patrols," he said. Eastmincom spokesman Lt. Col. Leopoldo Galon said they share the assessment of National Security Adviser Cesar Garcia that terror threat in Mindanao is high. “Actually, we are on heightened alert here. There is a directive to be pro-active. This is a pro-active measure to thwart any attempt," he said. Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) spokesman Lt. Col. Randolph Cabangbang, meanwhile, said they are just stepping up intelligence operations, even as he sought to downplay threats of retaliatory and sympathy attacks in the region. “It’s very remote. There is a remote possibility that they (terrorists) will do that (sympathy attacks), but there is the possibility, that’s why we are heightening our intelligence operations against them," Cabangbang said. The areas of responsibility of Wesmincom include the entire Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula) and part sof ARMM, particularly the provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, known bailiwicks of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf bandit group. “Actually, what we are monitoring are sympathy attacks. It’s only in pocket areas, specifically the ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group) areas, more in Basilan and Jolo," he said. - KBK, GMA News