Red alert on amid bombing ‘hoaxes’

From the Manila Standard Today (Feb 19): Red alert on amid bombing ‘hoaxes’

MALACAÑANG on Wednesday appealed to Filipinos to remain calm and stop spreading text messages of unverified bomb threats as it denied a “wag-the- dog” scenario supposedly hatched by the administration itself to deflect public anger over the Jan. 25 Mamasapano debacle that left 44 police commandos dead.

Malacañang made its statement even as PNP spokesman Generoso Cerbo described as a joke the alleged plan of some groups who were said to be planning to bomb some places in the metropolis.

In the Senate, Senator Sergio Osmeña III described as alarming the call of former Tarlac Rep. Jose Cojuangco Jr. for a change in the national leadership.

“Well, from the moral point of view, yes,” Osmeña said when asked to comment on Cojuangco’s call for Aquino to resign.

“If a member of your family is the one who asks you to step down, of course it is personally hurting,” Osmeña said.

A text message being circulated pointed to an unnamed Muslim group planning to bomb certain areas in Metro Manila, including malls and mass transportation systems.

It also claimed that an “intel unit” was now monitoring the situation as the Armed Forces and the National Police had both gone on red alert to thwart the bomb plot.

“We are calling on the public to remain calm amid the circulating text message,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said.

“The PNP is now looking closely at the security situation and has assured of their readiness to protect the safety of our people. Spreading text messages that contain baseless claims do not serve any purpose.”

But Coloma belied speculations that forces within the government were instigating the bomb scare.

“The government is doing nothing of that sort. The government is the protector of the security and safety of our people and will not resort to such useless activities such as that,” he said.

Meanwhile, Coloma said there was no word yet if President Benigno Aquino III would convene the National Security Council amid reports that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front is girding for possible fresh clashes with government troops.

“Let us note that the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro and the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro are still in effect,” Coloma said.

“There are principles in those signed agreements that cover the existing ceasefire. That should be the basis for both parties in the peace process.

“[As for suggestions to convene that NSC], there have been no talks to that effect in the Cabinet.”

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2015/02/19/red-alert-on-amid-bombing-hoaxes-/