Misuari terror threat belittled

There’s no reason to panic.

A report that a squad of explosive experts identified with former ARMM governor Nur Misuari are out to kidnap prominent people in Metro Manila to swap them with their leader is raw information, Director Edgar Aglipay, head of the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) said yesterday.

Nevertheless, Aglipay said the 14,000 police and military personnel securing Metro Manila while President Arroyo is abroad, are on full alert and on top of the situation.

"The Metro Manilans should not be afraid of the information regarding the kidnapping plan of followers of former Governor Misuari because its classification is very low," said Aglipay.

But the populace, especially prominent people, should remain vigilant and report to the nearest police station suspicious-looking people lurking in their areas, he said. "We cannot discount any possibility and we are fully prepared," the NCRPO chief said.

The STAR reported yesterday that die-hard supporters of Misuari, mostly renegade members the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) intend to abduct high-profile personalities and trade them for the jailed former governor.

Aglipay said he received no reports as yet that Misuari supporters have landed in Metro Manila’s seaports and airports.

The NCRPO chief said he talked with barangay chairmen of four Muslim-dominated communities in the metropolis and they reported no sightings of a fresh face in their areas.

"The barangay leaders assured me that no new arrivals from Mindanao have sought refuge in their communities," said Aglipay. "They also promised to report any new face so preemptive measures can immediately be implemented."

Though he belittled the Misuari followers’ threat, Aglipay ordered the five police district directors to closely-monitor and intensify police visibility in kidnap-prone areas of their jurisdictions.

When President Arroyo left for London Sunday night, three Task Groups comprising close to 900 policemen and 500 military personnel were put on alert to secure Malacañang Palace and vital government and public installations.

The task groups, Aglipay said, would also conduct anti-terrorism and anti-crime activities and guard areas like the Sandiganbayan and the Veterans Memorial Medical Center, where detained former President Joseph Estrada’s plunder case is being heard and where he is held, respectively, and also Bicutan in Taguig where Muslims reside. Aglipay likened their preparations today to what they did last Christmas season where no major untoward incident was reported.

"The people are used to this kind of preparation already, so they must not panic because their policemen are fully prepared to confront any contingency," said Aglipay.