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Thursday, October 30, 2003
PNP assures no JI in Davao region
By Ben O. Tesiorna
DAVAO -- Police officials in the region assured Wednesday the non-existence of Jemaah Islamiya (JI) members in Region 11.
Chief Supt. Isidro Lapena, regional police director, made the assurance after Task Force Davao commander Col. Gaudencio Pangilinan revealed some members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the Abu Sayyaf Group and JI are planning to enter Davao City.
In an interview Wednesday in Mati, Davao Oriental, Lapeņa agreed with Pangilinan, but said the terrorists are just on the planning stage and had not really penetrated in the city and even the region.
Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita earlier admitted the presence of about 40 JI operatives in Central Mindanao.
Armed Forces spokesman Col. Daniel Lucero said that about nine Indonesian bomb experts are currently training 19 local terrorists in Mindanao.
Lucero said the foreign terrorists are training at least 19 local terrorists here in Mindanao on how to make bombs.
He, however, advised the public not to panic since the authorities are doing their best to preempt any terror plans.
Lucero said people should go on with their lives and report any suspicious-looking individuals in their area.
He admitted that they are having a hard time arresting these terrorists since they are "faceless and nameless".
Lucero said though that after the arrest of Indonesian Taufiq Rifqi, said to be Jemaah Islamiyah's number two man in the country, many of the reported 40 JI operatives here in the Philippines already left the country for Indonesia.
"But we are not discounting the possibility that some of them are still here in the country," he said.
It was learned that a certain Jul Qifli is JI's top officer operating in the Philippines. He was however in Indonesia when Rifqi was arrested in Cotabato City last October 2.
Lapena said they are closely in coordination with other regions and even with other neighboring countries to check on the possible entry of terrorists in Mindanao.
He said they had an agreement with the Indonesian consulate here in Davao City to implement strict security measures especially on the entry of Indonesians in Davao City.
He, however, denied that they are restricting the entry of foreigners here especially those coming from Asian countries identified to be the lair of JI's.
(October 30, 2003 issue)
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