ATTY. FRANK MALILONG:

Warnings of major terrorist attacks in key cities continue to proliferate. This year alone, Malilong says, he has received at least five such messages with each one turning out to be a hoax. The latest warning came in the form of a photocopy of a supposed memorandum from the Aviation Security Group regarding a “Planned Terroristic Attack of MAUTE and BIFF Group.” What the stories tells us, Malilong says, is this: “there’s a memo on an alleged planned terrorist attack, it has been leaked, the police are not sure or are not willing to confirm that the memo or its contents are authentic but they are asking the public to remain alert but not to panic.”

Last Tuesday, a friend sent me a photocopy of a supposed memorandum from the Aviation Security Group regarding a “Planned Terroristic Attack of Maute and BIFF Group.” Citing information from a “reliable source”, the “memorandum” warned of a major terrorist attack in key cities on June 30.

My experience with similar warnings in the past told me to ignore it, which I did. This year alone, I must have received at least five such messages and each one turned out to be a hoax. Besides, the supposed Aviation Security memo was unsigned and was, as shown on its face, an “Advance Copy.” Why should the police print an advance copy of a sensitive report?

Then yesterday, the front pages of the three Cebu English language dailies published stories that were obviously based on the same report. “Cebu City urges more security in all gasoline stations,” SunStar Cebu said. “Cops probe leaked info,” according to the Freeman while the Cebu Daily News bannered, bold and in all caps, “Better safe than sorry.”

What the stories tell us is this: there is a memo on an alleged planned terrorist attack, it has been leaked, the police are not sure or are not willing to confirm that the memo or its contents are authentic but they are asking the public to remain alert but not to panic.

It is the last part that makes the most sense and where we can best contribute. If there is indeed such a plan, there is not much that we can do except to trust that the police– and the military– are on top of the situation and to help ensure that they are.

And since we all have seen how a rumor could acquire a life of its own and gain varying degrees of variation in the process, it is best that we resist the urge to spread information the veracity of which the police have not yet confirmed or the existence of which they have not at least publicly acknowledged. *** Six Ilocos Norte officials were subpoenaed by the House of Representatives to testify on the alleged misuse of the province’s share in the tobacco excise collections. They appeared but the congressmen did not like their answers. When their admonition to the witnesses to stop being evasive and tell the truth went unheeded, the House had them detained.

The Ilocos Six remains under House custody until now despite an order from the Court of Appeals to release them. House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez claimed that they defied the order because the CA justices who issued it were “idiots” who did not understand the concept of Congress being a co-equal branch of government.

Will the Senate similarly flex its muscle over an apparent defiance of its own determination of facts by another co-equal branch of government? When he appeared in the Senate investigation on the killing of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre agreed with the senators that what happened was plain premeditated murder.

An undersecretary, however, downgraded the charge to homicide. Sen. Panfilo Lacson is aghast and so are a number of other senators. But will they similarly order the undersecretary’s detention until he sees the truth, the Senate’s and Aguirre’s version?