‘Foreign jihadists no threat to PH’

From The Standard (Nov 29): ‘Foreign jihadists no threat to PH’

THERE is no need to raise the terror alert level in the country because there is no “credible threat” linked to the Islamic State despite the presence of foreign jihadists in the country, a Palace official said Saturday.

Citing assurances from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police, Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma said the intelligence community is monitoring threats to ensure proper response by security forces.

Herminio Coloma

“There just many reports of possible threats from the group they called ISIS, but based on what the AFP and PNP have monitored so far, there are no basis to confirm such speculation,” Coloma said in an interview over a state-owned Radyo ng Bayan.

But the military on Saturday confirmed that one of the eight fatalities in Sultan Kudarat clash on Thursday was an Indonesian terrorist who had been training Filipinos in bomb making.

Major Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, 6th Infantry Division commander, confirmed the Indonesian was Sucipto Ibrahim Ali, who had earlier been arrested for gun possession but was eventually released.

Sucipto was a senior member of the Mujahideen Indonesian Timur and has been training lawless elements in Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat on bomb making, Pangilinan said.

Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Salamat, commander of the First Marine Brigade, said Sucipto was killed in a four-hour battle with 6th Marine Battalion Landing Team Thursday in Barangay Butril in Palimbang town.

According to Salamat, the Marine forces and members of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and local police were to serve warrants of arrest for Mohammad Jaafar Sabiwang Maguid, alias Commander Tokboy, in Sitio Sinapingan, Barangay Butril, Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat.

While approaching the village, the armed men led by Commander Tokboy opened fire on the government forces, triggering a running gun battle.

After the encounter, eight dead bodies were found scattered in the lawless elements encampment, including the Indonesian national but Commander Tokboy was not among them. He was believed to have fled at the height of the firefight.

He said Sucipto was monitored to have been with Commander Tokboy after his release, teaching bomb making.

Pangilinan identified the other fatalities as Abdul Halil, Tatuh Sumail and Kira Sabiwang, all residents of Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat.

Marine forces recovered one cal. 50 sniper rifle, 20 rounds of ammunition for cal. 50, an M-16 Armalite rifle, a cal. 45 pistol, bomb making materials, ATM cards, PhilHealth cards and six ISIS flags.

Pangilinan said Commander Tokboy has four standing warrants of arrest and was involved in a series of atrocities and violence in the South Cotabato area since August 2008.

He was previously apprehended in 2009 by the security forces at Maasim, Sarangani, but managed to escape from the Bulantay Jail in Alabel, Sarangani after seven months of imprisonment.

He had been a fugitive for half a decade and was engaged in various crimes, including cattle rustling, extortion, highway robbery and murders.

Salamat said about 50 families have fled the village of Butril but the local governments and the Philippine Marines are attending to their needs.

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