Philippine police yesterday said they were checking reports that militants might be plotting bombs in the capital, but they had no confirmation of any plan and the public should not be alarmed by a leaked police report on possible attacks.
Police in Manila have been on high alert since fighting erupted last month in Marawi City in the south of the predominantly Christian country between the military and militants linked to the Islamic State.
“We have no confirmation whatsoever of any terror attack in Manila,” Philippine National Police Director Oscar Albayalde told ANC television, responding to concern about a leaked police intelligence report warning of bomb attacks that spread on social media.
PHOTO: AFP
The leaked report is genuine, but contains raw information that was distributed to police units to check and seek verification, he said.
The internal memo, dated Friday last week, said police had information that members of the Maute group — the Islamic State-linked faction that is fighting in Marawi — were planning to set off bombs in the capital.
“The content of the memorandum is meant for validation and confirmation, it’s not meant to scare the public,” Albayalde said, adding that he had ordered an investigation into how the document was leaked.
He said police were “on top of the situation” and people should not be alarmed.
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