Security heightened in the Visayas
ALTHOUGH there was no intelligence failure, as claimed by Armed Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., the military yesterday cited the need to enhance its intelligence capability in the wake of last Sunday’s bombing in Marawi City that left four people dead and 50 injured.
“We don’t have enough capability to know everything that’s going around us,” AFP spokesman Col. Medel Agular said in a phone interview, four days after the deadly attack at the Mindanao State University.
An improvised bomb was detonated by members of the terrorist Daulah Islamiyah-Maute Group at the campus gym where a mass was being held, apparently in retaliation to the recent killings of terrorist leaders during military operations.
“Because of the incident, there is a need for us to enhance our intelligence capability,” said Aguilar, adding the military “cannot cover everything” due to limited capabilities.
“It’s about the capability to cover everything… Many variables prevent you from covering everything,” Aguilar stressed.
Brawner had earlier dismissed insinuations of intelligence failure, noting they were aware of possible attacks due to the recent losses suffered by the terrorists.
Brawner was referring to the killing of Daulah Islamiyah-Maute Group and Abu Sayyaf leaders in military operations in Maguindanao del Sur, Basilan and Lanao del Sur.
Brawner said there was no specific information as to the target but said the military informed security forces and local government units of the threats.
“If there was failure of intelligence, it does not necessarily mean it’s the failure of the people. It might be due to lack of scope, they can’t cover everything,” said Aguilar.
Last Wednesday, the PNP identified the two Daulah Islamiyah-Maute Group members behind the attack — Kadapi Mimbesa, alias Engineer; and Arsani Membisa, who carries the aliases Khatab, Hatab and Lapitos.
Police said the two have standing arrest warrants and were involved in past bombings. Efforts are underway to arrest the suspects, authorities said.
The military has also launched massive operations to pursue members of the terrorist group in Lanao del Sur.
The AFP Visayas Command (Viscom) said it has heightened security in Visayas following the Marawi City bombing.
“In coordination with our PNP counterparts, we have placed a contingency plan in the event of an urban terrorist attack that will transpire in any urban areas in the Visayas,” said Viscom commander Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo.
“We aim to sustain a heightened security landscape in the region to ensure the safety of the public and to prevent the violent extremists from wreaking havoc in our communities,” added Arevalo.
Arevalo said they have organized a Quick Reaction Force which will be ready to assist the PNP to repel any group from mounting terrorist attacks.
“These are apart from our troops that are continuously conducting focused military operations in the outskirt areas in the region,” added Arevalo.
HEALING SESSION
The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) will provide “trauma healing sessions” to the survivors of the MSU bombing, Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. said Wednesday night.
“We are committed to conducting trauma healing sessions for the victims, especially in the recent bomb attack in Marawi City,” Galvez said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum.
He said a similar trauma healing process had been provided to victims of the Cathedral bombing in Jolo, Sulu in 2019.
He said apart from the psychosocial aspect, representatives of the religious sector such as bishops and ulama also provide aid to the victims to help them accept, cope and move on.
“Through this intervention, we hope to help the victims recover emotionally from the harrowing incident and move forward,” Galvez said.
He lauded the immediate actions of the local government, police and military after the incident which helped save more lives.
Galvez said that of the 50 injured, six were in critical condition, including three that had almost no hope of survival, but doctors said the immediate actions and rescue done by the local government, police and the military spelled the difference in their survival. — With Jocelyn Montemayor
