PNP to employ tighter security at all airports

The Philippine National Police (PNP) will implement stricter security measures in airports all over the country following the arrest of a suspected ISIS leader who entered the country through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), authorities said.

Director General Ronald dela Rosa, PNP Chief, said they are already in coordination with various concerned agencies and law enforcement units to secure airports in the country.

This, following the arrest of suspected ISIS leader Fehmi Lassqued, 33, said to be an Egyptian national who, according to the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), flew in at the NAIA mid August 2016 using a fake Tunisian passport.

“We are already in close coordination with the PNP-AVSEGROUP (Aviation Security Group) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI). With the arrest (of Lassqued), the more that we should implement stricter security because it turns out there are foreign (suspected) terrorists who can enter our country without our knowledge,” Dela Rosa said.

Lassqued and his alleged Filipina girlfriend, Anabel Moncera Salipada, 32, of Upi, Maguindanao, were arrested by joint PNP and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) officers late Friday in their rented apartment unit in Malate, Manila.

The suspects yielded assorted firearms, ammunition, components for improvised explosive device (IED), a black ISIS flag, and illustrations of maps – which police believe will potentially be used in future terror attacks.

Dela Rosa said that even though the security in Metro Manila remains on high alert, he could not blame the concerned agencies and law enforcement units if foreign terrorists can enter the Philippines.

“The thing is, not all of them (terrorists) are included in a database that our foreign counterparts in other countries can relay their information to our intelligence officers,” he added.