Janjalani in Lanao?

ILIGAN CITY — The alert level at military checkpoints here and in Marawi City, as well as the highways leading to the two Lanao provinces, has been raised following reports of terrorist threats and the possibility that Khaddafy Janjalani could be in Lanao.

Lt. Col. Cesar Atienza, Deputy Brigade Commander of the 1st Marine Brigade, said that although they had not received as of yesterday any official order from higher headquarters to scour their area of responsibility for the presence of the Abu Sayyaf leader, they were on a higher alert level because of the terrorist threats and the coming May 10 elections.

While only a few arms were confiscated, the thorough searches conducted on vehicles at Philippine Marines checkpoints in Lanao del Sur and Marawi City reduced the sightings of heavily armed men escorting politicians, said Atienza.

The military was also on guard for the entry of firearms and explosives and an increase in carnapping and kidnapping incidents, said Lt. Col. Ronaldo Villanueva.

Villanueva is the commanding officer of the Philippine Army’s 26th Infantry Battalion, which set up a 24-hour checkpoint in front of the army headquarters in Nangka, Baloi, Lanao del Norte.

A joint military-police checkpoint backed up by an armored personnel carrier was also set up at the national highway fronting the National Steel Corp. plant in barangay Suarez here. All vehicles are being stopped and searched. — Lino de la Cruz