Palace: Embassies, envoys safe in Phl

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang assured yesterday foreign diplomats in the country that the ambassadors and their embassies are safe from possible attacks by al-Qaeda in the wake of attacks on United States embassies in various countries.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said that Muslims in the country have always been law-abiding citizens and the government does not expect violent incidents similar to the anti-US protests in the Middle East and other regions.

Violent anti-US protests have been conducted by activists in Libya, Egypt, Yemen and several other countries to denounce the film that was shown on YouTube, which depicted the prophet Mohammed as a womanizer.

“Our brothers (Muslim) behave with civility and sobriety and goodwill,” she told radio dzRB.

Security in foreign embassies in Makati City and the US embassy in Manila have been tightened after the government intensified efforts to secure foreign diplomatic offices, ambassadors and staff.

She said the government had upgraded security in the US embassy and officials of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) had made the security arrangements.

“The US embassy personnel here in the Philippines do not need to flee because our Muslim community has always conducted themselves with goodwill and sobriety. So there’s no need to flee,” Valte said.

She said the government could guarantee the safety of the US embassy.

US President Barack Obama had already issued the directive to all their US embassies worldwide to increase their security.

Valte said they have not received any intelligence report so far regarding any al-Qaeda plan to sow terror in the country and attack foreign embassies and ambassadors.

Last week, suspected Islamist militias overran the US consulate in Benghazi in Libya, killing the American ambassador, a consular official and two security personnel.

In Egypt, Islamists and other Egyptians stormed the US embassy in Cairo.

The attacks were in response to a controversial film released on YouTube that depicts the life of the Prophet Mohammed in a negative light.

The film “Innocence of Muslims” sparked attacks on the US Consulate in Benghazi that left US Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three others dead.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) does not expect the anti-US riots in other countries to spill over to the Philippines due to the ongoing peace talks between the government and Muslim rebels and the peace-loving nature of Filipinos.

“The recent Muslim-initiated protests in other parts of the world will neither affect nor spillover here in the Philippines,” Armed Forces spokesman Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr. said.

“The prevailing situation in our country is different and security forces are in control,” he added.

Burgos said the peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is one of the factors that could deter violent activities similar to those in Libya and nearby countries.

“We have peace mechanisms in place and the ongoing peace process with the MILF. We believe that the Filipinos, regardless of religion and racial background are peace-loving citizens,” he said.

The MILF has instructed its 12,000 members to observe a ceasefire pact with the government, and will not attack US targets in the country, said MILF’s chief political officer Ghazali Jaafar.

“We do not live in the dark ages, there are rules and laws that need to be followed,” Jaafar told AFP by telephone from the MILF’s southern headquarters. “We have an existing ceasefire with the Philippines, and we will not violate that.”

He branded the killing of the US ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens, and three other Americans at the US consulate in Benghazi a “senseless act of violence.”

“Even in war, there are international norms that need to be accepted, including the protection of diplomats and embassies,” he said, while condemning those behind the amateur film produced in the United States that sparked the violence.

Jaafar said the MILF would monitor other Muslim groups in the mainly Catholic Philippines, adding: “We will inform government negotiators of any impending terror attacks.”

The military, nevertheless, continues to monitor the security environment to ensure that riots and other similar disturbances do not occur.

“We have maintained our vigilance, continued our monitoring and enhanced further our networking and liaising with other security forces like the PNP (Philippine National Police) to prevent any untoward incidents,” Burgos said.

The military also vowed to continue supporting the peace talks and other peace building measures of the government.

“This (peace process) is part and parcel of our ongoing campaign towards winning the peace through the people-centered and whole-of-nation approach,” Burgos said.

The Philippines, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, said the Benghazi attack was “a serious violation of long-standing norms of international law with deep historical roots.” With Alexis Romero