Thomas confident in Phl security after Boston bombing

MANILA, Philippines - United States Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas Jr. yesterday expressed confidence in security arrangements in the Philippines following the Boston Marathon bombing earlier this week.

“We have always remained vigilant. As President Aquino has said, we must remain vigilant against actions of international terrorists,” Thomas said.

“(US) President (Barack) Obama would agree with President Aquino in that,” he said.

“We are very confident... in all places we’ve worked very closely with the Philippine government, and especially the PNP (Philippine National Police) and the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation),” Thomas added.

Thomas was guest of honor and speaker at the launching of the operations center of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group.

The construction of the facility was funded by the US government.

Thomas also took the opportunity to thank the Philippine government for the sympathies following the Boston Marathon attacks on Monday and the explosion in a fertilizer plant in Texas Wednesday.

“I do now thank again the Filipino people and President Aquino for all the words of condolences that we received in the last few days over our tragedies in Boston and Texas,” Thomas said.

Political candidates also took the opportunity to express their fears of a possible spillover or resurgence of terror attacks following the spate of violent incidents in the US linked to extremist groups.

Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara of the administration Team PNoy and Cagayan Rep. Jack Enrile of the United Nationalist Alliance in separate statements warned the deadly incidents in the US could be the start of another wave of coordinated attacks by extremist groups in various countries, including those in Southeast Asia. – With Paolo Romero, Jose Rodel Clapano