IN THE wake of the series of explosions that killed nearly 300 people in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said it is strengthening its intelligence gathering and monitoring.
"There are possibilities na 'yung mga terrorist doon can go to other places anywhere in the world to seek refuge. We are no excuse on that. Ito 'yung tinitingnan natin na baka itong mga 'to eh papasok din sa atin. Every time na may ganyan, we intensify our intelligence monitoring," PNP chief Oscar Albayalde said in a press briefing in Camp Crame on Monday, April 22.
(These terrorists could seek refuge in our land. Everytime this happens, we intensify our intelligence monitoring.)
He said the PNP has not monitored any threat to the country as of Monday.
"Hindi natin ipinagsasawalang-bahala na posibleng may threat pero as of this time wala naman nakukuha. Basically ang ginagawa lang natin is intensification ng monitoring natin," he said.
(We are not discounting the possibility that there is a threat. But as of this time, we have not monitored any threat. Basically, what we are doing is to intensify our monitoring.)
As of 8:40 a.m. Monday, Sri Lanka police said the death toll from the Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka has increased to 290.
Authorities have said that at least 27 were foreigners.
Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara also said Monday more than 500 people had been wounded.
The nine bombings of churches, luxury hotels and other sites was Sri Lanka's deadliest violence since a devastating civil war ended a decade ago.
Albayalde extended his sympathy to the people of Sri Lanka and assured that the PNP is willing to extend every possible assistance in the said country.
“The PNP expresses solidarity with the international law enforcement community in condemning these uncivil acts of violence against civilian targets that were carried out for no other purpose but to sow fear and terror,” he said.
Sri Lankan authorities have lifted a curfew that was in place overnight following the Easter Sunday bombings.
The streets in the capital, Colombo, were largely deserted Monday morning, with most shops closed and a heavy deployment of soldiers and police. Stunned clergy and onlookers gathered at St. Anthony's Shrine, looking past the soldiers to the damaged church that was targeted in one of the blasts. (SunStar Philippines with AP)