Arroyos feel safe despite slay plot

The First Family is unfazed by threats of an assassination attempt and is confident of the protection provided by the Presidential Security Group (PSG), Malacañang announced yesterday.

"We are confident President Arroyo and her family are well-secured. The PSG is doing its work. Intelligence services worked hard to identify these (threat) groups. Otherwise, we would not have known such problems exist," said Press Undersecretary Roberto Capco.

Capco made the announcement two days after military and police intelligence establishments assured the safety of the First Family amid threats of an assassination attempt and bombing attacks supposedly financed by Saudi billionaire terrorist Osama bin Laden.

While the President’s national security team downplayed the supposed assassination and bombing plot, the PSG maintained tight security around the Palace starting Saturday while police implemented additional security measures.

PNP chief Director General Leandro Mendoza had earlier alerted the police against an attempt by any group to take advantage of the disruption that may be caused tomorrow when disgraced President Joseph Estrada is arraigned before the Sandiganbayan for plunder.

At the same time, National Security Adviser Roilo Golez clarified that no civil liberties would be abridged by the government’s plan to enforce an old law against rumor mongering.

Golez had said that in the US, even idle threats against the American president are enough grounds for someone to be held for questioning by federal agents.

"In the US, you cannot even joke about threatening the life of the US president. Otherwise, Secret Service agents and the Federal Bureau of Investigation will arrest and pick you up and subject you to intense interrogation," Golez said.

The heightened security measures were implemented late last week after intelligence reports indicated that Abu Sayyaf bandits, supposedly fresh from terrorist training camps in Afghanistan, may take advantage of big events scheduled this month to carry out their terrorist plans.

Police have deployed additional personnel in public areas and tripled public visibility in an attempt to defuse the alleged assassination and bombing plot.

Even the intelligence community stepped up activities as the National Intelligence Board (NIB) is set to meet on Friday to evaluate collated intelligence reports.

The NIB is composed of all government intelligence agencies and is co-chaired by Golez and National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) director general, retired Gen. Cesar Garcia.

Vice President and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teofisto Guingona has also been quietly verifying reports that Bin Laden is financing the training of Abu Sayyaf bandits in Afghanistan.

Bin Laden is wanted in the United States for financing several terrorist activities and is now hiding in Afghanistan under the protection of the ruling Taliban clique.

The Abu Sayyaf bandits are supposedly being trained for a big incident, like bomb attacks and an assassination attempt on the President, that would get international attention.