Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año confirmed Wednesday, Feb. 16 that reports had reached him about the plan of Hamas, a Middle East based Islamic group, to establish a foothold in the country.
In a message to reporters, Año said the revelation of the Philippine National Police (PNP) about an alleged plot to carry out attacks against Israelis and Westerners in the Philippines is aimed at encouraging people's vigilance as the personalities mentioned in the said plot are being monitored and under strict surveillance.
“Nakatimbre naman dun sa anti-terrorism council so meron naman tayong nakainplace na (security measures). Maganda naman yung may mga ganyang nakukuha tayong information, nakakapaghanda tayo (The anti-terrorism council has been informed so security measures are in placed. It is good to have this information so that we can be prepared),’’ Año said.
On the group’s possible threat to national security, Año noted that at the moment there are no indicators that the group is on the verge of implementing its plan adding that it remains an information that is being acted on by the intelligence community.
When pressed for the source of the information, Año clarified that the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are conducting “domestic and international intelligence coverage’’ which include the “liaisoning’’ work with foreign intelligence agencies where information is shared.
“Kaya yung set up na yan, halimbawa ang US (United States) intelligence (service) kapag meron silang na hit na information na makakatulong sa atin sinishare nila. Ganun din naman tayo sinishare din natin sa kanila. May information sharing, pagkatapos ang requirement lang naman dun, pag nagaction tayo may feedback din tayo (So the set up is for example the US intelligence if they have any, share the information that can help us. The same way we share the information to them. There is information sharing, after which the only requirement is to give them feed backs for our actions,’’ he added.
From those leads, Año explained that the intelligence agencies particularly the PNP Intelligence Group can now proceed with the operation “kaya dito sa Pilipinas may (here in the Philippines we have the follow the lead scheme).’’
The DILG did not confirm the presence of the Hamas group in the country but can only say that its members can communicate through the internet and social media which are being monitored by the PNP and AFP as a precautionary measure.
Refusing to elaborate further on the persons being monitored, Año disclosed that currently there is an intelligence operation with the gist that Hamas are trying to recruit Filipinos in the Middle East and other countries in Asia.
“Itong Hamas kasi di ba (This Hamas), they are operating in the Middle East and then in some areas in Asia na may mga ano dun kasi may mga Pilipino dun na nagpupunta ng abroad. Yung iba dyan ay nagwowork yung iba personal (visits). So meron silang nacontact na isang Pilipino na (where there are Filipinos there who went abroad. The others are working while others are on personal visits. So they were able to contact a Filipino). They tried to recruit and this Filipino, namonitor na umuwi ng Pilipinas tapos ito yung sinasabi na inataassan na magrecruit (that was monitored to come home to the Philippines then it was revealed that he was tasked to do the recruiting),’’ Año disclosed.
The DILG chief noted that the PNP Intelligence Group is on top of the situation and has monitored the movement of the said Filipinos saying that there is no serious threat with their possible actions being preempted.
Año added that the said Filipino contacted by Hamas is currently in the country with his status being a “person of interest’’.
“Pero yung mga tao na gagamitin nya (Filipino contacted by Hamas), hindi natin sigurado kung ilan (But there persons he will use we do not know how many are they. Kasi (since) this guy is going to Mindanao and Manila from time to time,’’ he added. (Chito A. Chavez)