PNP: No IS threat in Bulacan

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has not received any intelligence report on the alleged threat posed by a terror group affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) in Bulacan.

PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde gave the assurance after a draft police memorandum warning the public that IS terrorists are moving to Bulacan was posted on Facebook and Twitter.

Albayalde urged residents of Bulacan to remain calm, saying the threats are confined in critical areas in Mindanao.

“We want to assure the public that government forces are doing everything to prevent a spillover,” Albayalde said.

The supposed memorandum from the Bulacan police office was dated Sept. 6. It said IS-inspired militants would attack religious communities as well as Catholic and Christian churches inthe province.

Col. Chito Bersaluna, provincial police director, said there was miscommunication with a PNP personnel who wrote the memo.

Bersaluna said a non-commissioned officer whom he did not identify misunderstood his verbal instructions. He said what should have been written is for police units to be on full alert following recent bombings in Mindanao.

“We had two major events in the province so we intensified our security measures,” he said, referring to the Singkaban Festival, which started on Monday, and the Iglesia ni Cristo’s Grand Baptism at the Ciudad de Victoria in Bocaue on Saturday.

Bersaluna said he relieved the non-commissioned officer. – Ramon Efren Lazaro