Police forces in Metro Manila were placed under highest security alert status following what appeared to be a daring suicide bombing attack inside a military camp in Indanan, Sulu.
The bomb attack, allegedly carried out by two suicide bombers, left three soldiers and three other civilians dead while 12 others were injured, according to Maj. Arvin Encinas, spokesman of the military’s Western Mindanao Command.
The seventh and eighth fatalities inside the camp of First Brigade Combat Team, were the alleged suicide bombers believed to have links with the Abu Sayyaf Group.
Police Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), said that they have not received any serious threat of bomb attacks in Metro Manila.
“Although there are no threats detected within the National Capital Region but as a proactive means in response to this terror attack, the entire region is now placed under full alert status,” said Eleazar.
The full alert status took effect on Friday night.
The attack is believed to be part a tactical offensive of the Abu Sayyaf following the series of deployment of more soldiers in Sulu as President Duterte wants to finish off the group.
A suicide bombing attack, it was recalled, was established in the Jolo Cathedral attack in January this year that killed more than 20 people and injured more or less 100 churchgoers.
While there is no serious threat in NCR, Metro Manila used to be a place of retaliatory attacks at the height of government intensified offensives against threat groups in Mindanao.
Among them are the Rizal Day bombings in 2000 that left at least 22 people dead and scores injured and the Valentine’s Day bombings in 2005 wherein nine people died while several others were injured.
Eleazar said his full alert status order comes with intensified measures in preventing any attack in Metro Manila. “Having this measure would be of great help in deterring unscrupulous individuals in carrying out their illegal or terroristic acts,” said Eleazar.
He, however, encouraged the public to cooperate by remaining alert and vigilant.
He said the public could report any incident or suspicious person to the nearest police station or you can reach or communicate through our NCRPO text hotlines, Globe: 09158888181, Smart: 09999018181. (Aaron Recuenco)
