The Embassy of Japan in Manila on Tuesday confirmed that they have received information about a possible terror attack that may occur in any of the six Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines.
In a statement, the Embassy said the Japanese government has issued a warning to all its citizens situated in Southeast Asia but declined to disclose the source of information.
“We confirm that the Japanese government has received information about a possible terror attack, but we cannot give you any detailed background at the moment,” the Japanese Embassy told the Manila Bulletin.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, or the Gaimusho, on Monday told its citizens in six Southeast Asian nations to stay away from religious facilities and crowded places due to the threats of a possible attack.
Japan’s Foreign Ministry urged its citizens on Monday to stay away from religious facilities and crowds in six Southeast Asian nations due to “increased risks such as suicide bombings.”
The warning applies to Japanese citizens who are currently in Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Myanmar.
When asked about the Japanese advisory, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Public and Cultural Diplomacy Eduardo Meñez said the Department of Foreign Affairs has not been officially informed about the warning issued by Tokyo.
“Travel alerts for a country’s citizens are usually not officially notified to other countries, however, this type of information may have been shared among intelligence agencies,” Meñez said.
Similarly, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said they have not received any report related to the Japanese alert warning, adding that they are constantly validating all reports on security matters in a “continuous process”.
“As per last review our threat level is moderate,” AFP Spokesman Col. Ramon Zagala said in a statement sent to reporters.