PH steps up security over terror threat

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The Philippines has heightened security in all public areas and important structures of the country’s turbulent south on Sunday.

These security measures were set into motion by the national police, following the receipt of reliable information on a “possible terrorist threat” on the southern island of Mindanao, particularly in Davao.

Davao is the country’s third largest city, with a population of more than two million.

The national police said in a statement that all police forces were notified “to beef up security operations against possible infiltration of suspected members of said reported threat groups.”

Although the statement made no mention of either the nature of the possible attack, or the identity of the group, it is a known fact that parts of the southern region, such as Mindanao province, are terrorized by Al-Qaeda-linked Muslim militants. The province is also a hotbed of fighting between communist guerrillas and government forces in a decades-long rebellion.

Security forces will carry out checkpoints and inspections at transport terminals, commercial establishments and key structures.

The threat alert came at the onset of the month-long observance of Muslim Ramadan.