PNP ready for any threats to pope

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Police is considering all security situations – including terror threats – to make sure Pope Francis is kept safe during his five-day stay in the country.

“All of our efforts right now are to ensure the safety of Pope Francis and the public. We have not received any specific terrorist threat,” PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent Wilben Mayor said in a press briefing at Camp Crame yesterday.

Mayor also clarified the National Capital Region Police Office did not release any memorandum directing intelligence units to track down foreigners linked to terrorist groups.

Bureau of Immigration officials said the intelligence community has not yet provided them a list of foreigners with terror links.

“We are still waiting for the list of names coming from all intelligence agencies so we can include them in our derogatory database,” BI Commissioner Siegfred Mison said.

“But at any rate, all of our actions and operations are part of our security measures for the papal visit,” Mayor said.

Mayor said securing the pope is not only about keeping him safe but also upholding the country’s pride.

“Our national pride is at stake, so we are encouraging the public who will go to the public engagements. If you are a devotee, you are indirectly part of the security, so we hope they will cooperate,” he said.

Mayor said there are 18 government agencies involved in the security arrangements for the papal visit from Jan. 15 to 19. Some 25,000 policemen will be deployed for the event.

Government agencies are conducting dry runs of Pope Francis’ public engagements as part of fine-tuning security arrangements. Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II led yesterday’s security dry run.

Mayor also stressed that while they would rather not push the panic button in the face of security threats, “we are not belittling the situation.”

“But if you ask us, we have not yet received any threat. Our preparation is a high level, whole government approach, you can see how the government has mobilized its forces,” he added.

At Camp Olivas, San Fernando, Pampanga, Police Chief Superintendent Ronald Santos led the sendoff ceremony for 1,000 policemen deployed to Tacloban City to secure the pope.

“To all of you, especially those who are neophytes, I have also stood in your shoes, understand the pain of separation from your loved ones and from your comfort zone even for just a short period of time, but I have overcome this through perseverance and faith in our God Almighty,” he said in a speech. Santos is the OIC of the Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) in Central Luzon.

Not overacting

Meanwhile, Roxas said they were not overacting in the security preparations for the pope.

“This is not OA. This is being done to secure the pope and the people who will come to see him,” Roxas told reporters.

Roxas said he initiated a meeting with members of the media to get their help in disseminating information and educating the public on security measures to be implemented by law enforcement authorities.

During the briefing, Roxas played a five-second aerial footage taken during the visit of the late Pope John Paul II in 1995 showing a mammoth crowd breaking through security barriers to get near the pope.

Roxas pointed out that the population of the country has doubled from 50 million in 1995 to more than 100 million. About 80 percent of Filipinos are Roman Catholics. He stressed the Rizal Park has not expanded.

PNP officer-in-charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina told the public that the strict security measures were not meant to inconvenience the public but to ensure the safety of everybody.

“One of the most potent forces in securing the pope is the people themselves,” he noted.

The DILG secretary also said breakers and barriers would be installed in quadrants around the Qurino Grandstand to help manage the crowd.

He noted that each quadrant would have a specific number of people to prevent overcrowding.

“Several quadrants, we have determined more or less what’s the maximum attendees going to designate counters. Security people will coordinate and will inform (people at the) gates to ensure there will be no overcrowding,” Roxas added

“Crowd will be allowed to enter Luneta area from Orosa street at 6 a.m. Sunday for the 3:30 p.m. mass to be officiated by the pope. But entry will come only through certain points with scanner and metal detector,” he added.

Transportation Secretary Emilio Abaya also announced the closure of several roads leading to airports in Manila and Tacloban City.

‘Zero threat’

The military, for its part, said there is “zero threat” to the safety of Pope Francis during his visit to the country.

Security forces, however, are not taking chances and are stepping up measures to ensure the success of the pontiff’s five-day visit.

“So far we have no serious threat coming out of our radar screen,” Armed Forces spokesman Col. Restituto Padilla said.

When asked to rate the threat posed by foreign terror groups to the pope, Padilla said: “As in zero.”

“There is always some degree of capability remaining but we have made provisions for that already but right now, they have been degraded,” Padilla said when asked about the capacity of the Abu Sayyaf to stage attacks.

“Despite the fact we don’t see any serious threat looming in the horizon, the degree of preparation is such in a state that it is geared for any kind of worst- case scenario,” he added.

Padilla said the more pressing concern for authorities is managing the crowds who will attend Pope Francis’ events.

Armed Forces chief Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr. earlier admitted that a stampede similar to the 2006 Ultra tragedy is possible.

The stampede left 78 fans of ABS-CBN noontime show “Wowowee” dead and hundreds others wounded in Pasig.

“It’s the temperament of the crowd, the people surge. They want to have the chance to have a glimpse of the pope,” he said when asked what he thinks is the challenge that security forces have to hurdle.

In Zamboanga City, however, Lt. Gen. Rustico Guerrero, commander of Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom), said troops have been tracking any possible terror plot even if the regions in his jurisdiction are not in Francis’ itinerary.

“We are also monitoring the movements of the threat groups here in relation with the visit of the pope,” he said.

Maj. Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, chief of the army’s 6th Division based in Central Mindanao, said they had also launched operations against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and captured the second stronghold of the group in Maguindanao last week.

“Our forces have been identifying the areas of concentration of the BIFF to ensure this BIFF will not discredit the AFP in its security campaign,” Pangilinan said.

Guerrero said eliminating the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) is a priority. “We will intensify the operation against the ASG. It is a high priority. Even the people upstairs are asking us. So it’s a national priority. Actually, on my part, I consider it as one of the highest priority,” Guerrero said.

But as the military was downplaying foreign terror threats, a source said a top Indonesian al-Qaeda terrorist coordinator and explosive expert deported after serving 10 years at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa city for illegal possession of explosives has reportedly slipped back into the country – through Mindanao – to reunite with his Filipina wife.

Agus Dwikarna, who was listed in the United Nations Security Council resolution in 2002 as being linked to Osama bin Laden and the Taliban as financier, facilitator and arms supplier of Jemaah Islamiyah in Indonesia, had vowed to return to the Philippines after his release in January last year. – Alexis Romero, Roel Pareño, Perseus Echeminada, Jaime Laude, Evelyn Macairan, Manny Galvez,Ric Sapnu