PNP intelligence sources yesterday admitted having received evidence that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is planning massive bombings in shopping malls and trendy night spots in Metro Manila after the long All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day weekend.
A ranking official of the Central Police District, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The STAR the CPD obtained copies of documents from the MILF pinpointing certain malls in Metro Manila as the group’s "No. 1 targets."
"It is confirmed that these rebels will strike there. And they plan to do it where they can do the most damage — in crowded malls, restaurants and bars," the CPD official said.
Additional policemen have been deployed to areas where the MILF is most likely to stage bombings. PNP officials said the increased police visibility is meant to discourage prospective MILF bomb squads from "carrying out their violent plans."
CPD agents said they receive numerous bomb threats daily, in every building, school, village and hospital in the metropolis, but added that not one Muslim community has been threatened with bomb attacks.
"Aside from the documents we obtained from our sources, this is part of the reason why we believe that the MILF is behind most, if not all, of the bombings," a police officer said.
Uniformed PNP personnel have been seen patrolling the areas of SM North EDSA Mall in Fairview, Ever Gotesco Mall on Commonwealth Avenue and the night spots in Libis, Quezon City — particularly Eastwood City.
Police said the MILF, as a group, may be responsible for any bomb blasts that may occur — not just "certain members" or a breakaway faction.
"We had hoped that these rebels would not have included innocent people in their violent plans, but, unfortunately, it seems to be the other way around," the CPD official said.
"While we would try and prevent them from implementing their plots, the reality is all we can do right now is wait," he said.
Other police sources, meanwhile, believe the military may have had a hand in the recent bombings in the south and the bus explosion in Quezon City because the "type of bomb found in all incidents" were C4 explosives. C4 is a bomb component only issued to the AFP.
Meanwhile, the AFP has activated Task Force Libra and put it on red alert, AFP operations chief Lt. Col. Rey Ardo said.
Task Force Libra defended Malacañang from rioting pro-Estrada forces on May 1, 2001 and has been on standby at AFP headquarters at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City since President Arroyo left the country to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Mexico last week.
"(The) task force has been on red alert as part of the contingency (measures and is) ready to respond to any eventuality," Ardo said, "it is committed to respond if there will be any major crisis."
Task Force Libra — a composite crack team of highly trained soldiers from the Philippine Air Force, Army, Marines and the Navy — will remain on red alert for the duration of the All Saints’ Day holiday until the President leaves for her official visits to Vietnam and Cambodia from Nov. 3-] to 7.
Ardo and top defense officials were at the coordinating conference between the PNP and the AFP yesterday afternoon at police headquarters at Camp Crame also in Quezon City.
PNP director for operations Chief Superintendent Vidal Querol downplayed any possible threats from terrorist groups — including the MILF, New People’s Army (NPA), the Abu Sayyaf and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). Querol told reporters that a well-organized "security umbrella" is now in place.
The 16,000-strong National Capital Region (NCR) police force will be augmented by "a good number of Marine soldiers to help implement tight security measures" over the 66 public and private cemeteries in Metro Manila, Querol said. At least 17 of these cemeteries are on the PNP’s top priority list.
Querol said "areas with large concentration of people, such as shopping centers and malls" will also be given additional focus by police and military personnel — both in uniform and in plainclothes.
The Western Police District (WPD) has mapped out security plans for the Chinese, North and South cemeteries, where some Chinese-Filipino families are expected to spend time with their dead relatives, he said.
The PNP and AFP have also coordinated on the deployment of K-9 units in various areas of the metropolis to help police detect bombs and illegal cargo in suspicious packages.
PNP community relations chief Director Ricardo de Leon said the PNP is coordinating closely with different local government units (LGUs) to implement security measures.
De Leon said the PNP increased security in churches and vacation areas nationwide as well. He advised the public not to panic should there be a bomb scare where they are.