As the hunt for the terrorists intensifies, 65 leaders of Muslim communities have expressed full support for the government in its crackdown on suspected Muslim militants.
Police said the terror cell included a member of the Southeast Asian Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) terror network, identified as Abu Yasin, who had trained local extremists in the use of car bombs and explosives.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Arturo Lomibao said "the threat is very serious" as he ordered all police regional offices to intensify security efforts.
A massive manhunt had been launched for the seven, Lomibao said, as he distributed sketches of the suspects to the media.
"What is important here is we give to you the sketches of these people to inform our citizenry that (the) threat is very serious," Lomibao said.
He identified the six others as Hilarion del Rosario Jr., alias Ahmed Santos, the alleged leader of the Rajah Solaiman Revolutionary Movement (RSRM); Amilhamsa Ajijul, alias Alex Alvarez; Abu Haisham; Abu Omar, Abu Tarik and Abu Zaid.
Lomibao said Del Rosario has a pending warrant for his arrest in Pangasinan while Ajijul is a suspect in the October 2002 bombing in Zamboanga City.
On the other hand, Haisham is an Abu Sayyaf bandit who was recently trained at the JI terror camp in Mt. Cararao in central Mindanao, along with Tarik and Omar, who were trained in the use of car bombs and explosives.
Lomibao said police and military intelligence communities have mobilized field operatives to help track down the extremists who are said to be targeting churches, shopping malls and other public places during Lenten season.
"They are now the subject of a massive manhunt operation. These people are tasked by (Abu Sayyaf) bandit leader Abu Solaiman to conduct terrorist activities in selected soft targets," Lomibao said.
Chief Superintendent Ismael Rafanan of the PNP Intelligence Group said the bombing run was uncovered by security officials during questioning of Gappal Bannah, alias Boy Negro, a confessed Abu Sayyaf bandit.
Bannah confessed having provided the explosives used in the Valentine’s Day bombing in Makati City in which five people were killed and several others wounded.
"It was Boy Negro who provided the description, facial features and other information about the suspects," Rafanan said.
He admitted the exact locations of the seven extremists could not be ascertained.
Police have raised the possibility of retaliatory attacks as angry Muslim militants hailed the 22 slain bandits as martyrs and the Abu Sayyaf vowed revenge.
Members of the Abu Sayyaf, a militant Muslim group linked by both Washington and Manila to the al-Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden, staged an attempted jailbreak on Monday that turned into a 30-hour standoff.
Three guards and two bandits were killed in the initial attempt while 22 more suspected Abu Sayyaf and a policeman were killed Tuesday when authorities put down the uprising.
Among those slain were senior bandit leaders Ghalib Andang (alias Commander Robot) and Alhamser Limbong (alias Commander Kosovo) who were blamed for deadly bombings, kidnappings and murders in the country.
PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Leopoldo Bataoil said aggressive police operations are now underway to prevent any terror attempt.
Bataoil also called for vigilance and asked the public to provide any information regarding suspicious activities in their community.
"We should not allow these developments to hamper or affect our daily routine and activities," Bataoil stressed.
Muslim leaders headed by Datu Emerol Ambiong and Muslim Youth chairman Ali Garrangan Jr. vowed to solicit cooperation from their ranks to prevent terror attacks.
Ambiong, for his part, raised concerns over illegal arrests and harassment of Muslims by the police before Lomibao and National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Avelino Razon.
"I want to assure everybody that there is no (police) persecution of any religion or group. Let us not forget the incident at the Bicutan jail and move on," Lomibao told the Muslim leaders.
The Catholic Church, on the other hand, expressed its disappointment on reports that Muslim extremists are targeting churches and places of worship during the Holy Week.
Monsignor Hernando Coronel, spokesman for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), said any threat would not dampen the Catholic tradition of celebrating the Lenten season.
Lingayen-Dagupan Bishop Oscar Cruz added the Church is not even alarmed by the threats.
"If that report is true — and apparently they are looking into it — it is a very sad event," he said.
In a related development, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) began its investigation into the failed jailbreak and initially found serious lapses in security.
Among these were jail guards bringing their guns with them when making routine headcounts of the inmates, a practice that could have allowed Abu Sayyaf members to seize their firearms, sparking the violence, said Interior Undersecretary Marius Corpuz.
The probe will also look into how other handguns and explosives had been apparently smuggled into the jail, he added.
A prosecutor of the Department of Justice (DOJ) also raised the possibility of connivance between Abu Sayyaf inmates and their guards.
According to State Prosecutor Nestor Lazaro, Commander Robot had been receiving large sums of money even while inside the jail.
Lazaro claimed his sources pointed out Robot received a minimum of P20,000 a month. He claimed the money had been used to finance the jailbreak by bribing the guards.
"It was monitored from sources that someone was sending money to Robot. This is a raw information. So it could be that Robot financed the jailbreak because he was the only one who had the money," Lazaro said.
Lazaro pointed out Robot was the highest ranking Abu Sayyaf leader in detention.
Lazaro added a search of Commander Kosovo’s cell turned up a SIM card. He claimed Kosovo was allowed to use a cell phone with his own SIM card to make calls prior to the foiled jailbreak.
"Kosovo could have been paying for the use of cell phones and it could be the guards’ (card)," he said. — With Jose Rodel Clapano, Mike Frialde, Nestor Etolle, AFP