MANILA, Philippines - Security forces are verifying information about the alleged presence of 89 suspected foreign terrorists in Mindanao, Malacañang said yesterday.
Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said it is possible that the foreigners entered the Philippines through the southern backdoor, where the point of entry is Mindanao via Indonesia or Malaysia.
“Authorities are still validating the report that 89 suspected foreign fighters are in Mindanao,” Abella said.
“This is the purpose why we are making a collective effort against terrorism and violent extremism through a trilateral cooperation with Indonesia and Malaysia,” he added.
The Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia have agreed to work to jointly develop and implement counter-terrorism measures and strategies to prevent future terrorist attacks in the region.
A police intelligence report obtained by Kyodo News said at least 89 “suspected foreign fighters” are in various parts of Mindanao, including Marawi City where the Islamic State-inspired Maute group attacked last May 23.
According to the report, 28 of them are Indonesians, 26 Pakistanis, 21 Malaysians, four Arabs, three Bangladeshis, a Singaporean and one is an Indian-Singaporean. The nationalities of the other five foreigners were not identified.
Kyodo News said Philippine officials relayed the information during a meeting with Indonesian and Malaysian counterparts in Manila last Thursday.
Abella said the military is also validating the report that Mahmud bin Ahmad, a Malaysian who helped finance the attacks in Marawi, died from wounds he sustained during the early days of the crisis.
“We have been told that the military has information of the spot where he was buried and government troops are now trying to locate it and recover the remains. Once done, only then can we make an official confirmation,” he said.
When asked about Mahmud’s reported death, Malaysia’s Inspector General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said in a text message in Kuala Lumpur: “Not true. He is still alive.”
Illegal aliens
At least eight of the terrorists killed during encounters in Marawi were identified to be foreigners.
Of the slain foreign militants, two were Saudis, two Malaysians, two Indonesians, one Yemeni and one Chechen, according to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.
On Thursday, Armed Forces Eastern Mindanao Command deputy chief Brig. Gen. Gilbert Gapay revealed there are at least 40 foreign terrorists in the Philippines. He said security forces already know the names of the jihadists that included Malaysians, Indonesians, Arabs and Pakistanis.
A total of 280 militants and 69 government troopers have died since clashes in Marawi erupted last May 23.
Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr. added the troops retrieved the bodies of two suspected foreign fighters at the battle scene.
Galvez said the two fighters were believed to be the snipers pinning down the advancing troops from two separate buildings.
Galvez revealed a captured Maute group suspect had admitted having 10 foreigners among them. The foreign fighters were said to be expert marksmen and in creating improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
“Based on the accounts of the captured suspect, about 10 foreign fighters were with them who are snipers and bomb experts,” he said.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa, however, said it would be too early to tell if the foreigners are all terrorists.
“We are closely monitoring these foreigners who are currently in Mindanao,” Dela Rosa said.
Dela Rosa did not give a specific figure on the number of foreigners who are being monitored by their intelligence operatives. He also did not confirm the contents of the alleged intelligence report.
He added that it does not automatically mean all the visitors are in the country to sow terror.
Last January, Dela Rosa claimed up to 10 foreigners were said to be training with local terrorist groups in Mindanao before they joined the IS in Syria.
“I think there are about five to 10 foreigners who we are monitoring. They have different nationalities,” he said.
A senior security official claimed the troops in Marawi are now fighting a mixture of mercenaries and criminals lured by the huge financial resources of the Maute group.
“That explains why the fighting has dragged on this long. If the Maute-IS groups were the ones involved in the fighting, the conflict could have been over in just a matter of days, the longest could be two weeks,” the official said.
He added reports of gunmen belonging to the extremist Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and Abu Sayyaf are now fighting alongside the Maute militants in Marawi.
“For as long as key entry and exit points by foot to and from Marawi remain unsecured, fighting is far from over,” the official said. – With Roel Pareño, Edith Regalado, Emmanuel Tupas, Jaime Laude, AFP