No IS threat in Philippines – Palace

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang reiterated yesterday that there is no link between a local Muslim rebel group in Mindanao and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria despite the claim of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) that ISIS is recruiting members.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the Palace is standing by the statement of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) that there is no ISIS presence in Mindanao despite recent incidents of violence in the region.

The AFP also reported last week that it had taken control of the camp of the Maute group in Butig, Lanao del Sur after days of intense operations. Government troops overran the main camp of the armed group in Barangay Poktan, where the houses of Maute leaders, brothers Omar and Abdullah Maute, were located.

The palace issued the statement after MILF chairman Murad Ebrahim said in a press conference in Kuala Lumpur on Monday that ISIS was trying to establish a stronghold in Mindanao to capitalize on the growing frustration on the breakdown of efforts to end the Muslim separatist rebellion.

Congress failed to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), which would be the legal basis for the creation of an autonomous Bangsamoro region in Mindanao in accordance with the peace agreement between the government and the MILF.

“Now, after the non-passage of BBL, we are quite concerned that they (ISIS) can capitalize on this because the sentiment of the people in the area is now very strong. The frustrations after the non-passage of the law, they can capitalize on that,” Ebrahim said.

But Coloma said that based on Ebrahim’s statement, the MILF leader merely wants the passage of the BBL to continue in the next Congress.

Sen. Gregorio Honasan, a former soldier, also dismissed as “psychological warfare” Ebrahim’s claim that the ISIS is trying to gain a foothold in Mindanao.

“What they are doing to us is a psywar. Let’s just ignore them until we can analyze, confirm, validate and say that the MILF was right, but we are ready,” said Honasan, vice presidential bet of United Nationalist Alliance.

Honasan said the MILF’s statement cannot be taken as a valid warning as the rebel group needs to show it is still a force to reckon with. “Otherwise, they lose their leverage,” he said.

The vice-presidential candidate said the MILF believes it also needs to flex its muscle to gain the respect of the next administration.