The Philippines yesterday vowed “higher security” for world leaders at an economic summit in Manila next week after a series of bombings and shootings left more than 120 dead in Paris.
US President Barack Obama is to join the leaders of China, Japan, Australia, Canada and 15 others at an annual Asia-Pacific Economic Conference summit in Manila on Wednesday and Thursday.
“The attacks ... showed not only premeditation, but the cruelty that demands the greatest indignation from the world. The Philippines mourns the dead and stands shoulder to shoulder with France,” said Abigail Valte, Philippine President Benigno Aquino III’s spokeswoman.
Photo: AFP
“Certainly our security establishment ... will be taking the necessary steps to fine-tune as necessary our security plans and our contingency plans for the hosting,” she said in a broadcast on government radio.
“We are committed to ensuring the safety of our visitors and our people. This is a message that has been sent not just in light of the incidents in Paris,” she added.
Asked about the implications of the Paris attacks on the APEC summit, Philippine Ministry of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Laura del Rosario, a member of the organizing committee, told reporters by text: “Higher security.”
Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said: “Our security officials are monitoring and assessing the situation and are taking necessary precautions to ensure the safety, security and well-being of all delegates.”
The Philippines has swept about 20,000 homeless people from the streets, canceled more than 1,000 flights, deployed 18,000 police and declared public holidays in Manila to ensure a safe and efficient summit, the organizers have said.
Major streets in the usually chaotic capital are being closed to traffic to speed up the shuttling of delegates, with police asking building owners to close their windows to prevent their use by snipers.
Early on Saturday, Philippine marines deployed anti-aircraft guns around the main summit venue as police conducted a full rehearsal of the visiting leaders’ motorcades to the summit venues and their hotels.
Military helicopters flew low overhead, while naval gunboats patrolled the waters of nearby Manila Bay.
The Philippines has a long history of Muslim militancy in a southern region about 1,000km from Manila, although there have been deadly attacks carried out in the capital.
APEC has 21 members, but Russian President Vladimir Putin has told the hosts he is skipping the meeting.
The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Indonesian President Joko Widodo would be absent, while the hosts said the president of Colombia was attending as an observer.
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