Military intensifies security ops amid bomb threats in Mindanao

From the Daily Tribune (Feb 3): Military intensifies security ops amid bomb threats in Mindanao

Bomb threats have been spreading in Eastern Mindanao region during the past days but the military yesterday assured that intensified security operations are continuing to thwart such eventualities.

Maj. Ezra Balagtey, spokesman of the military’s Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom), said that the bomb threats were circulated through text messages in the cities of Davao and Kidapawan and in North Cotabato.

“The text circulating about bomb threats in Mindanao are meant to cause undue panic and scare to the public. There’s no truth that it is being disseminated by the AFP intelligence,” Balagtey said.

One of the text messages stated “sir/madam take all d necessary precautions, 2u all. Paalala lang na wag magkompyansa sa lhat ng highways ng buong Mindanao, anytime mag-block ang mga MILF at mag-harassng detachments or govt facilities, babae o bata, matanda, lalaki na Christian ay papatayin nila kasi wala ng bias ang FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT ng BANGSAMORO, ipasa nyo sa mga kaibigan, kakilala at mga pamilya o relative na Christian FROM AFP HEADQUAR TERS/ INTELLIGENCE REPORT. PLS Pass.”

“Rest assured that the AFP and the PNP are doing their best to prevent any atrocity by lawless elements. Let us all unite to preserve and respect the primacy of the peace process,” he added.

According to Balagtey, text messages containing bomb threats started circulating in the region during the past few days.

He said authorities are not discounting the possibility that the threats were connected to the Maguindanao incident involving the police’s elite Special Action Force (SAF) and combined Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Mamasapano town last Jan. 25.

Forty-four SAF members, including six junior officers, were killed during the day-long clash.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/nation/military-intensifies-security-ops-amid-bomb-threats-in-mindanao