The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) announced Tuesday, September 14, that it is checking on the veracity of reports about Japan's supposed issuance of a threat alert regarding "increased risks" of terrorist activities in six Southeast Asian nations including the Philippines.
Col. Ramon Zagala, AFP spokesperson, said the threat alert reportedly issued by Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not reached the military leadership yet.
"We take seriously all received reports that pertains to security matters, especially on terrorism. As of now, we have not received any report," he told reporters.
"We constantly validate all reports on security matters and it is a continuous process. As per last review our threat level is moderate," he added.
Capt. Jonathan Zata, chief of AFP public affairs office, said the military will also coordinate with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to validate the information.
According to reports, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an alert to its citizens via email about "increased risks" of terror activities in Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Myanmar.
No other details were divulged but the threat alert was reportedly addressed to Japanese people living in the six Southeast Asian nations, advising them to avoid religious facilities and crowded areas.
Zagala assured the public that the AFP has sustained its intensified campaign against all forms of terrorism and violence in the country.
"We ensure that all citizens, Filipinos or not, as long as they are within our territory, are protected and kept safe from terrorists' threats," he said.
"This is also to underscore the importance of the active participation of the populace in defeating terrorism since security is, after all, everyone's concern," he added.