By: Genalyn D. Kabiling and Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos
More terror attacks may take place in the country but the government is prepared to deal with such threat, President Duterte warned last Friday.
The President admitted that it would be a “long-haul” fight against terrorism since the threat is unlikely to disappear anytime soon.
“Terrorism will not disappear. We anticipate another assault maybe this time two or three places in the Philippines but we are prepared,” he said during his visit to Dumaguete City last Friday.
“We are not ill-prepared but we are prepared and it’s gonna be a long-haul for all of us,” he added.
Even as government troops move to liberate Marawi City from the Maute terror group, the President recently warned that Islamic State-inspired terrorism would not go away in the next seven to 10 years.
He told the military to prepare in the event terrorists might launch simultaneously attacks in Zamboanga, Basilan, Isabela, and another major city.
The President reaffirmed plans to build a “strong” military and police to effectively combat the threat of urban terrorism.
He has directed the military to review its operation doctrines “because the fight is already too long,” alluding to the rebel siege in Marawi.
He said terrorism propagated by the IS involves only death and destruction of innocents.
Meanwhile, Malacañang said that the trilateral air patrol between the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia seeks to address the growing concern over terrorism in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
The Philippines, Malaysian, and Indonesian air forces launched the joint air patrol in Subang, Indonesia last Oct. 12. Representing the Philippines during the launching was Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.