22 June 2017

News Story: Duterte warns of ISIS retaliation, more bombings in Mindanao

President Rodrigo Duterte
By Alexis Romero

MANILA, Philippines — Terrorists aligned with ISIS may stage more bombings in Mindanao, President Rodrigo Duterte warned, as he called for vigilance against possible retaliatory attacks by extremist groups.

Duterte said the threats would not disappear even if the fighting in strife-torn Marawi City is over.

“You have to keep watch and control the movements as yet. Just because the fighting has stopped in Marawi, it does not mean that we are already safe. One of these days, they will go into bombings,” the president told reporters in Cagayan de Oro Tuesday night.

“It could start in Mindanao. They are there. There are a lot of motions there. And I just hope that the Moro people would not, you know, do not take it hook, line, and sinker,” he added.

Duterte said a spillover of the Marawi conflict is possible as terrorists may slip to other parts of Mindanao to evade pursuing government forces.

“You know there are places, you have Cotabato, you have Basilan, you have Jolo. Whether you like it or not, the sentiments of a spillover there. Kaya… Besides, they are escaping in all directions in Davao,” the president said.

Read the full story at PhilStar