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PHL working with INTERPOL, ASEAN to thwart terror threat to Pope Francis


The Philippine government is working with the international community to thwart any possible terror threat to Pope Francis, who is set to visit the Philippines from January 15 to 19.

During a media briefing on Monday, President Benigno Aquino III said local security officials coordinated with the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to secure a watchlist of individuals who went to Syria and Iraq to join Islamic State (IS) militants.

He added that his government also worked with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) “that have some of their citizens suspected of wanting to join IS.”

“We are maximizing all of these efforts and we’re touching base with so many allies to try and see, parang identify any threat whatsoever coming from any direction,” Aquino told reporters.

Last August, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and the Abu Sayyaf rebels  in Mindanao claimed to have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State jihadists.

The President however stressed that there are no direct threats to Pope Francis’ security at present.

Aquino likewise maintained that the Pope will have “double the security” currently provided to him by the Presidential Security Group (PSG).

Pope Francis, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church and the head of state of Vatican City, is scheduled to arrive in the Philippines on Thursday. He will hold various activities in Metro Manila and Leyte during his five-day visit.

Thousands of Filipinos are expected to troop to Metro Manila and Leyte to participate in Pope Francis’ activities in the Philippines. A three-day holiday has been declared in the National Capital Region due to the papal visit.

Some 17,000 soldiers and 20,000 police officers will protect Pope Francis during Philippine visit. —KBK, GMA News

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