WATCH | PNP had known of Abu Sayyaf plot before Davao bombing: Dela Rosa

From InterAksyon (Sep 6): WATCH | PNP had known of Abu Sayyaf plot before Davao bombing: Dela Rosa

Philippine National Police Chief Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa admits that bombers were able to slip past the PNP's defense even though, as early as the last week of August, it had received an intelligence report of a plan by the Abu Sayyaf to attack Davao City and Metro Manila.

“To be honest about it medyo nag-relax tayo ngayon dahil matagal-tagal na tayong ‘di nakatikim ng bomba (we relaxed a bit since we had not experienced bombings for some time),” Dela Rosa admitted after the Roxas Night Market explosion in Davao City on Friday last week that left 14 people dead and more than 60 wounded.

He said they received the intelligence information on August 25, 2016 wherein four Muslim women were sent by Abu Sayyaf Group leader Isilon Hapilon to Metro Manila and Davao.

The four women and other ASG members were allegedly staying in Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City with a mission to carry out suicide attacks on soft targets such as malls and come near the PNP chief and President Rodrigo Duterte to kill them.

In order to elude suspicion, the women were told to wear the traditional Muslim attire.

Despite the bombing, Dela Rosa said he is not blaming the Davao police.

“Even the President himself did not malign the performance of the DCPO [Davao City Police Office] and Task Force Davao. They are working very hard. Sinasabi ko naman palagi na kahit na yung pinakamalakas na intelligence agency sa mundo yung Central Intelligence Agency ng US nalusutan pa rin sila. (I had said before that even with the most powerful intelligence agency in the world, which is the CIA in US, terrorists still prevailed.) Everybody is doing their part on this endeavor na di tayo maisahan but still nalusutan tayo (so that we won’t be outsmarted but they still slipped past us),” Dela Rosa said.

The Abu Sayyaf initially claimed responsibility for the attack but later denied it.
Dela Rosa thinks that either the Abu Sayyaf was trying to make the government to deviate from its goal of destroying them in Sulu or the terrorist group was trying to connive with drug lords.

He said the Abu Sayyaf was only after the money such as asking ransom after kidnapping hostages, and that drug lords paid them to do the bombings instead.
He appealed to the public to refrain from passing on text messages they receive about threats of bombings.

“Wag tayong matakot. Pag natakot tayo, talo na tayo; sila ang panalo (Don’t be afraid. Once we show fear, we lose and they win). So let us live our normal lives; just relax and be alert,” Dela Rosa advised the public.

Watch this News5 video report by France Noguera:

[Video report]

http://interaksyon.com/article/132151/watch--pnp-had-known-of-abu-sayyaf-plot-before-davao-bombing-dela-rosa