Wednesday, August 04, 2004 Pinoys abroad told to take precautions
MALACAÑANG Tuesday advised Filipinos abroad to take extra precautions following renewed terrorist threats particularly from the al-Qaeda group of international terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden.
Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said the Philippine Government does not take the threat lightly and authorities committed that the vigilance and fight against terrorism would be unrelenting.
"We caution our countrymen especially those living in the areas that are in potential danger to exercise all precautionary measures to keep themselves and their families out of danger. Here in the Philippines, we continue our fight against terror and our campaign against terror would be unrelenting," he said.
Asked if the government has received any report any specific threats aimed at the Philippines, Bunye said "As far as we are concerned, its better for us to be prudent, to be vigilant and to exercise all measures to keep our citizens safe."
Bunye said Philippines continue to cooperate and coordinate with its allies, including the US, particularly in the international anti-terrorism campaign.
He added that the strategic partnership with the US and other foreign allies remain strong.
He however continued to sidestep questions whether the Philippines has confirmed earlier reports that the US had studied and considered removing the Philippines from the Coalition of the Willing following the decision to pull out the Filipino contingent from Iraq almost a month earlier than the end of their tour of duty to save the life of a Filipino truck driver who was held hostage by an Iraqi militia group.
"You know we have said that we will be fighting terror in our front and we will continue to be cooperating with our allies. We believe that the fight against terrorism is everybody's concerned," he added.
US intelligence warned of possible terror attacks at the New York Stock Exchange, World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, Citigroup Inc. and the Prudential Financial building, which led to the raising of alert level to orange - the highest alert level in the US.
The warning was based on the discovery of materials analyzing how to attack some of the most powerful symbols of Western capitalism. JMR
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