Report says Duterte, an ISIS target in India; Palace remains calm

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte listens to the discussion during the plenary session of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-India Commemorative Summit at the Taj Diplomatic Enclave Hotel in New Delhi, India on January 25, 2018. Also in the photo are Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence Go. (Photo by Karl Norman Alonzo/Presidential Photo)

The Palace remains calm despite reports that President Rodrigo Duterte could be targeted by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) while in India to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-India Commemorative Summit and India’s Republic Day celebration.

According to the Indian news site The Print, Duterte, who is vocal that he is keen to fight violent extremism, “has provoked the group to mobilize sleeper cells based in Indonesia, which are now planning a strike.”

“Duterte is coming with baggage, as he has been very vocal about wiping out IS. The Indonesian President (Indonesian President Joko Widodo) too will be present, and could also be a target. We have intelligence inputs that the IS has mobilized its people and is planning to strike,” a security agency source told The Print.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, however, said that the Chief executive remains unruffled and will not cower to threats from terrorists.

“PRRD will not cower to threats from ISIS nor any other terrorist groups. He has pledged to serve the Filipino people and has left the issue of his mortality to the creator,” Roque said in a statement.

Roque also assured that the President is safe in India, and the security arrangements by Presidential Security Group (PSG) and Indian police are in place.

“He is unmoved by this latest threat and will be unrelenting in his fight against violent extremism. All precautions though are being taken by the PSG and Indian authorities,” Roque added.

For the record, Duterte has earlier issued a warning that the nation is now facing imminent threats of terror attacks that are “coming very fast.

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“I’m also reminded of the serious threat now but I hope that you have to raise the awareness not only the senses of – and maybe just it’s good to anticipate that there’s gonna be one in the coming days about terrorism,” Duterte earlier said.

The Chief executive said that he would call for an emergency meeting with security officials to discuss the government’s defense against terror threats. Duterte then gave a forceful order to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to be more vigilant in the matter of security against terrorism.