Terror alert level 3 raised in Davao, Cotabato, and Zambo
The improvised explosive device (IED) that was found near the United States Embassy in Manila was supposed to go off in Luneta to get the attention and convince the international terror group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) that the Maute group deserves to be its local affiliate.
Director General Ronald dela Rosa, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), explained that there is so much at stake for the Maute group if they are recognized by the ISIS as affiliates in terms of foreign funding.
“They want to be recognized by ISIS. They are allied with ISIS. And if they were able to detonate bombs with big casualties, they are hoping to be recognized, be accepted as members of ISIS,” said Dela Rosa.
The Maute Group is currently the subject of intense military air and land offensive in Butig, Lanao del Sur after occupying certain areas and buildings in Butig a week ago in its continuing reign of terror and raised the ISIS flag to mark their new territory. The surprise attack displaced thousands of Lanao Sur residents afraid to be hit in the crossfire.
The group which is being blamed for the Davao City night market bombing last September 2 was founded by Abdullah Maute who is from Lanao Sur and its leaders are reportedly former members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
The Davao blast killed 14 persons and injured more than 60 others.
Desperate
“As of now, their status is hanging on the balance. It appears that they are still being observed if they are really that good to be accepted by ISIS,” Dela Rosa revealed.
“They want to be recognized because they want foreign support. ISIS has a lot of money because they control some areas with rich oil supply. If they are not recognized by the ISIS, then they will have no foreign funding,” Dela Rosa explained.
Aside from the important ISIS membership, Dela Rosa said the foiled bomb attack was also meant to divert public attention from the on-going military operations against the Maute group.
Yesterday, the PNP Chief presented Jiaher Guinar and Rayson Kilala who were nabbed a day after computerized facial composite of suspects who left an improvised explosive in a trash bin along Roxas Boulevard were released.
Guinar was arrested in Caloocan City while Kilala, a muslim convert who uses the name Rashid Kilala was arrested in Bulakan, Bulacan. The two are members of the Ansar Khalifa terror group, which has direct links with the Maute terror group.
Dela Rosa said it was Kilala who planted the bomb – an 81-millimeter mortar with a blasting cap, a nine-volt battery which was attached to a mobile phone as triggering device – somewhere in Luneta Monday morning. But Kilala reportedly changed his mind and left the bomb in a trash bin about 200 meters away from the US Embassy along Roxas Boulevard.
“Parang na-konsensya siya according to him kaya itinapon na lang niya sa basurahan along the Roxas Boulevard (According to Kilala his conscience bothered him prompting him to leave the bomb in a trash bin),” said Dela Rosa.
The explosive was discovered by a street sweeper at about 2 a.m. Monday.
When news about the recovery of the bomb spread, Dela Rosa said Guinar tried to detonate the bomb by calling the number of the cellphone which was supposed to trigger the explosion. It did not work.
The number that registered was used by the police to track down Guinar in Caloocan City.
The messages retrieved from Guinar’s mobile phone led them to Kilala in Bulacan.
Heightened alert
Following intelligence information gathered as a result of the foiled bomb attack, Metro Manila remains on full alert and Dela Rosa advised the public not to panic but instead remain “alert, vigilant and observant.”
“I have already given my RDs (regional directors) the go-signal to conduct strong, random and mobile checkpoints across the country,” Dela Rosa said, particularly in highly-urbanized cities.
A well-placed source at the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) said raising terror alert level 3 over Davao, Cotabato and Zamboanga is “preventive in nature.” The source said a terror attack is possible in these areas.
Two down, three more
Dela Rosa said they are currently hunting down three members of the Maute group who brought the bomb from Central Mindanao to Manila.
“We have already identified them. One of them happens to be a BIFF (Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter),” said Dela Rosa. The BIFF and MILF are based in Central Mindanao.
“But based on our information, two of them might have already rejoined the Maute because while they were here in Manila, they were tasked to go back because the military was already starting to attack their camp,” he added.
One is believed to be still in Manila.
“Now that we have arrested two of their cell members and identified the three others, I think it would be difficult for them to send another team for this purpose again,” said Dela Rosa.
Charges of illegal possession of firearms will be filed against Guinar after he yielded .45 pistol during his arrest while cases of illegal possession of explosive materials and conspiracy to commit terrorism are being readied against all of them.