No more foreign terrorists in Mindanao? Westmincom not lowering its guard

Despite the pronouncement of Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana that the military could no longer detect the presence of foreign terrorists in Mindanao, the Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) said it would not lower its guard against the enemies.

"Hanap kami nang hanap sa kanila talagang parang hindi na, walang traces of their presence pero ganoon pa man, we do not lower our guards, we maintain our security posture," WestMinCom chief Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana told reporters on Thursday.

According to Sobejana, a total of 59 individuals are included in WestMinCom's watchlist, however, it is not yet verified whether these people are foreign terrorists.

"Hindi verified at hindi rin sigurado tayo na sila ay talagang affiliated with the ISIS-inspired terror group," Sobejana said.

On Wednesday, Lorenzana said security forces are focusing their operations on members of the Abu Sayyaf, BIFF, and the Dawlah Islamiyah, as he claimed that foreign terrorists could no longer detected in southern Philippines.

In 2019, Sobejana said seven foreign terrorists were in Mindanao training members of local terror groups in Sulu, Basilan, and Maguindanao. — Anna Felicia Bajo/RSJ, GMA News