PNP: No intel on planned terror attack in Metro Manila

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PNP CHIEF Gen. Archie Gamboa yesterday said intelligence networks have not monitored any terror attack to be launched in Metro Manila.

He made the statement after the killing last Friday of four suspected terrorists during a police and military operation in Parañaque City on Friday last week.

He said based on intelligence reports, one of the slain suspects was a finance officer of the terrorists and another was a member of the Abu Sayyaf group. Police have yet to establish the affiliation of the two others.

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“I want to make it clear that the apprehension made last week is that of financial conduits. So, ito yung sa (these are about the group’s) finances. Nothing yet about operations, offensives nila in Metro Manila,” Gamboa said.

But authorities are not discounting the possibility that the terrorists are out to conduct attacks in Metro Manila and nearby places considering their finance officer had been holed up in a safehouse in Parañaque City.

“Of course there is always that constant threat from them not unless they will not exist anymore. So the threat would always be there. It’s just a matter of how serious the threat is… Let’s emphasize that it is their financial conduits who were apprehended last week and operation is entirely another topic. So no need to worry,” he added.

Government security forces on Friday last week were to serve a search warrant at a house in the Better Living subdivision when the suspects fired at the law enforcers, which triggered a gun battle.

Killed in the operation were Merhama Abdul Sawari alias Mheng, female, 40 to 45 years old; Bensaudi Sali alias Boy, male, 37; Rasmin Hussin lias Boscon, male; and Jamal Kalimming alias Pando, male.

Sali, Hussin, and Kalimming were reportedly working as security guards in Metro Manila.

Gamboa said he has ordered the Supervisory Office on Security and Investigation Agencies, the PNP unit which has administrative and operational control on security guards and agencies, to conduct an investigation as to how the three men managed to get hired as security guards.

Police Cpl. Ehrol Gamboa of the NCRPO, was wounded in the legs and is now recuperating in a hospital.

Recovered from the scene were four guns, two hand grenades, an M-16 rifle, several improvised explosive devices, and two “ISIS” black flags.

Police intelligence reports said Sawari and Sali were financial conduits for the members of the ISIS-inspired Daulah Islamiyah group. Sawari, the intelligence reports added, was the DI’s finance and logistics facilitator. She was said to have received remittances from Indonesian terrorist Yoga Fabrianto who allegedly helped plan the Jolo Cathedral bombing in January 2019. Fabrianto was arrested in Sabah in June 2019.

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