Military brushes aside viral message about supposed threat of IS attack

ZAMBOANGA CITY—The military has brushed aside a supposed warning about impending attacks by Islamic State (IS) militants that has gone viral.

Major Arvin John Encinas, spokesperson of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), said the message was meant to instill fear and confusion, as the country is preoccupied in the fight against the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The viral message, which is shared in social media and text messaging, indicated a 2nd Lt. Daniel Pedregosa as the source.

Encinas said there is no officer of that name in any branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

“This name is not a member of the AFP nor included in our roster of troops,” Encinas clarified.

Encinas said that the supposed threat is “recycled,” noting that these circulated in 2017, even before the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law.

Westmincom chief Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana said he also saw several old videos circulated recently on social media, like the one from Pedregosa, dating back in 2016.

Sobejana noted that one of the foreigners featured in the video was already killed in an armed encounter in Maimbung, Sulu.

The Westmincom officials asked the public to be more vigilant and prudent in using social media to prevent them from becoming a platform for spreading malicious information.

Encinas assured that there is no letup in Westmincom’s drive to end terrorism even amid the pandemic.