Monday, October 16, 2006 5 more Mindanao towns, city eyed by terrorists By Ben O. Tesiorna
TERRORISTS are targeting five more towns and cities in Eastern Mindanao for their bombing activities, Eastern Mindanao Command Chief Rodolfo Obaniana said.
Though refusing to divulge these areas, Obaniana said they have already alerted local officials so they could implement their own security measures.
Obaniana said he already placed the whole Eastern Mindanao in red alert after Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Hermogenes Esperon Jr. placed the entire Mindanao in the extreme critical alert level, which means "enemies of the state" have the intent, the capability and the timeline to conduct terrorist activity.
As this developed, an unexploded bomb was found in Pagadian City Sunday morning at the gate of a public market there.
The bomb was discovered around 7 a.m. by elements of the AFP intelligence and militiamen in the area. The area was immediately secured by the Army's 53rd Infantry Battalion while investigation was ongoing as of this posting.
Here in Davao City, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte also raised the red alert status.
"This means there is severe risk of attack on government facilities, public utilities and/or places where people converge," Duterte said.
He advised the public to take precautions, to remain calm and be alert at all times.
"Report any suspicious activity to 911 or the police. Listen to radio or TV for updates or instructions. Avoid unnecessary stay in crowded places," the city mayor said.
