POLICE and soldiers on Friday arrested two suspected Islamic State-inspired terrorists in Sta. Rosa, Laguna even as the government said they saw no impending threat to foreign delegates to the upcoming 51st Asian Development Bank board of governors’ annual meeting.
Police reports said the arrested suspected terrorists were both Filipinos identified as Jimuel Velasco Dizon and Eddie Boy Aledo Bermejo, with a Muslim names Amir and Abdullah, respectively.
Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde said the suspects who are members of the Suyuful Khilafa Fil Luzon could be part of the local terrorist group Rajah Solayman Movement that openly expressed allegiance to ISIS.
Albayalde could not yet ascertain why the suspects were in the Calabarzon area.
He said there was no cause for alarm and said the arrests were an indication only that the police and the Armed Forces were doing their job.
“This is part of our target hardening measures, part of our proactive measures to prevent terror attacks particularly here in Metro Manila,” Albayalde said.
He also allayed the fears that the arrest of the two supposed ISIS operatives could affect the Asian Development Board meeting.
“This is a plain and simple criminal case. Illegal possession of firearms and explosives,” he said.
The two alleged ISIS members were arrested on the strength of two search warrants by Judge Agrpino Morga of Regional Trial Court Branch 29-32 of San Pablo City for violation of RA 10591 or firearms and ammunition law.
Acting on reports on the presence of the supposed terrorists, agents from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines raided their hideouts.
In the first raid, the raiders seized one fragmentation grenade; an improvised bomb, a .45 cal. Pistol, an I-38 cal. revolver, ammunition and a black flag.
The troops also raided the adjacent safehouse and confiscated more guns, a hand grenade and a suspected bomb.
The arrest of the suspected terrorists came after the PNP deployed more than 7,000 personnel to secure 3,000 foreign delegates attending the 51st Asian Development Bank Board of Governor Annual Meeting in the country on May 5. With PNA
The PNP contingent has been mobilized in key areas including the meeting venue, billeting and hotels in Pasig City and Makati City of foreign delegates to keep them from harm.
“We certainly face formidable security challenges considering that local or international threat groups may take advantage of the situation to try to harm the dignitaries and embarrass the Philippine government and the entire country in the eyes of the international community,” said Deputy Director General Fernando Mendez, deputy chief for operations.
But with the strict security measures already in place, he said he is confident that they can prevent any untoward incident from happening during the annual meeting.
The military on Friday said intensified operations against communist and other threats have so far resulted in the surrender of 6,709 people since peace talks were called off last year.
The campaign against the Abu Sayyaf Group, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, and Maute Group terrorists, have resulted in the capture and surrender of 96 terror personalities, said Army spokesman Lt. Col. Louie Villanueva.
Villanueva said the extension of martial law in Mindanao has contributed to the success of the military’s operations. Martial law was declared on May 23, 2017 following heavy attacks of Maute Group terrorists in Marawi City.
“These victories can also be attributed to the response and cooperation of the community as well as the local leaders imbibed with the idea that security is a shared and everybody’s responsibility,” Villanueva added.
Congress, in a special joint session in July, granted the extension of martial law until Dec. 31, 2017 at President Rodrigo Duterte’s request.
The Senate and House of Representatives, convening in a joint session early December, granted Duterte’s request for the extension of martial law and the suspension of the privilege of writ of habeas corpus for a period of one year from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2018.