Police intensifying security preparations also because of upcoming 9/11 attack anniversary

By Ronron
September 6, 2007

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is including in its security preparations these days the possible attacks of terrorists in the light of the upcoming anniversary of the September 11 attacks in the United States that claimed around 3,000 lives.

Deputy Director Gen. Avelino Razon, Jr., Deputy Chief for Administration of the PNP, said the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks is among the “confluence of events” that the PNP is preparing for, considering that the Al Qaeda network that was behind it is believed to have links with the local terror group, the Abu Sayyaf Group.

“We are talking with different intelligence agencies of the government, including our foreign counterparts, our allies in the fight against terrorism,” Razon told Camp Crame reporters yesterday.

He said the PNP is now on heightened alert, meaning each unit has to have 50 percent of its personnel present so it is ready to respond for any eventualities.

Aside from the 9/11 anniversary, Razon said the PNP is also preparing for the upcoming promulgation of the decision of the Sandiganbayan on the plunder case of former President Joseph Estrada, the possible retaliatory attacks of the ASG due to the military offensives in Basilan and Sulu, the possible attacks of the New People’s Army in response to the arrest of its leader, Jose Maria Sison, in the Netherlands, and the investigations of the Congress on controversial issues like the politically-charged “Hello Garci” wiretapping incident in 2004.

“All of these the PNP is preparing for to maintain our peace and order situation,” Razon said.

With this, he said the public should therefore not consider the PNP preparations, as announced, as overkill.

“The police force we are preparing is not only for the Sandiganbayan verdict but also on the daily anti-crime situation,” Razon said, referring to the 4,000 policemen that will be deployed during the Estrada verdict day.

He said they are not discounting the possibility that communist rebels may take advantage of the 9/11 anniversary, or the handing down of the Estrada case decision.

“The NPA is our highest threat because they have arms and they have been waging a long campaign,” he said./DMS