NATIONAL police authorities are monitoring the resurgence of the communist Alex Boncayao Brigade to ensure no terrorism-like activities will occur as the country welcomes 26 Foreign Ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other dialogue partners this week.
While there was no specific threat monitored so far, National Capital Region Police Office chief Oscar Albayalde said the police were monitoring several “Balik-Islam” or Christians who converted to Islam who were former hitmen of the communist Alex Boncayao Brigade, an active group of assassins in the 1980s.
The ABB had assassinated dozens of people upon the orders of the Communist Party of the Philippines.
“We are monitoring some groups who are actually present here in Metro Manila, who are Balik Islam and other former members of the ABB, suspected to be Balik Islam. So these are all being monitored in relation to this meeting,” Albayalde told a Palace news briefing.
“We are watching several enclaves where there are large numbers of Muslim populations,” he said.
Albayalde said 13,000 police officers would be deployed for the 50th Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and Related Meetings at the Philippine International Convention Center from Aug. 2 to 8.
The police contingent will secure about 1,700 foreign ministers, diplomats and other delegates from 27 countries who are expected to arrive in Manila this week.
‘‘We have actually started preparations on security matters since last year for this big event. And I think with all the preparations that we’ve made, the country is very much ready to host this 50th Foreign Ministers’ Meeting,” he said.
According to the Metro Manila police chief, skeletal deployment in some hotels had been done to secure 24 foreign delegates who have arrived and security for the routes was already in place.
Besides securing the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex where the venues of the meetings will be held, the police are also tasked to secure the routes of the VIPs who will be billeted in 21 hotels in Metro Manila, particularly in parts of Parañaque, Pasay and Makati.
Albayalde said although the ABB was small and had long been dormant, the conversion of some of its members to Islam meant it needed to be watched, saying its members might have joined Islamic State extremists in the south and could be planning to disrupt the upcoming meetings of foreign ministers.
During the 30th Asean Summit last April, an area in Quiapo was bombed, leaving 14 people wounded, in what police and Malacanang said was triggered by a gang war there.
In the meantime, Albayalde said the PNP had not monitored any threats related to the Asean meetings. With PNA