Zamboanga City blasts seen as Sayyaf’s diversionary tactic
Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The twin blasts that rocked Zamboanga City on Sunday night could be a diversionary tactic by the Abu Sayyaf, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said.
“We look at it [as something] to deviate the attention of our operations in Jolo. Gano’n naman parati ang nangyayari. Kapag nagkakaroon ng operations, they create disturbances so ma-ease out ang kanilang pressure sa kanilang area,” Gazmin told reporters on Monday.
He said that they are still trying to confirm whether the Abu Sayyaf was behind the explosions, but the bandit group is tagged as one of the perpetrators.
A policeman and a bomb-sniffing dog were hurt in two explosions along Tomas Claudio Street past 7 p.m. on Sunday. The explosions happened a few meters from the main headquarters of the Zamboanga City Police Office.
The military launched all-out law enforcement operations in Basilan and Sulu against the Abu Sayyaf recently.
Last month, the Abu Sayyaf freed two of their German captives in Sulu. Since the release, the government troops have been chasing the bandits.
Six soldiers were killed in an ambush by the bandits last week in Basilan, prompting the military to intensify their operations there.
‘Not convinced’
Meanwhile, Armed Forces chief General Gregorio Catapang Jr. said he was “not very much convinced” that security preparations in Zamboanga City were adequate.
“I’m not very much convinced on the way the security situation, security preparations are being done in Zamboanga City,” he told reporters
Catapang visited Zamboanga City and Basilan last Friday.
“I will have to come back. Nagbigay ako ng marching orders sa kanila to coordinate with all the barangay (village) officials, not only with 20 [villages] sa sentro. Dapat lahat. Halimbawa pag pumasok ka sa Zamboanga City, identified ka na. Identified ang sasakyan mo, identified kung sino ka, maayos ka bang tao, anong purpose mo doon, manggugulo ka ba? And within that barangay, ang barangay officials dapat kilala nila ang mga tao nila kung sino ba ng mga taong ito? Kung ang taong mga ito ba ay mabubuti? Ito yung sinasabi ko,” he said.
Catapang said that only 20 of 95 villages are given focus on security.
“All the villages should cooperate for the entire city,” Catapang said.
As to the twin explosions, Catapang could not say if it was a spillover of Basilan and Sulu operations.
“We will still find out. Hindi natin masabi. I want a briefing again. So kung may time ako, bibisita ulit ako doon. Kasi nga hindi pa ako convinced with the security preparations,” he said.
The AFP chief said that the bandits could be in the borders of the city.
“Nasa gilid-gilid. And you know, 30 kilometers ang coastline. Ang sabi nila, they have 20-30 individual wharfs. So dapat yun ma-contain natin yun. Alam natin yun. Marami pang gagawin to win the security, to ensure the security of Zamboanga City,” he said.
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