PH ‘in safe hands,’ Zubiri says after security forces’ briefing

MANILA, Philippines — After listening to the briefing of the country’s security forces, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri is convinced that “the Philippines is in safe hands.”

On his suggestion, Zubiri and other senators received a briefing on Wednesday from the heads of the Department of National Defense (DND), the Philippine National Police (PNP), the National Security Council, and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency.

The Senate leader requested a closed-door briefing from security officials after last Sunday’s bombing in Marawi City that killed four people and wounded at least 50 individuals.

Speaking to reporters after the briefing, Zubiri said he was very satisfied with their meeting.

“They’re now securing all high-level possible threat areas which are places of where the public goes to…” he said, adding there is more military and police presence all over the island of Mindanao and even in Metro Manila.

“But we are all safe,” Zubiri said, “In other words, after the briefing […] it was shown rather that the Philippines is in safe hands; the military and PNP have it under control.”

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. gave the same assurance when interviewed after the briefing.

“In general, yes,” Teodoro said when asked if the peace and order situation in Mindanao is stable.

He added the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are doing their best to prevent a similar incident in the future.

AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., who also attended the meeting, allayed fears of another Marawi siege following this recent attack in the area.

“Ah wala, wala,” Brawner said in another interview.

More than 1,000 people were killed when Maute and Abu Sayyaf groups, backed by several foreign fighters, seized large parts of Marawi City on May 23, 2017, to establish an Islamic State (IS) enclave in Southeast Asia.

The siege ended in October 2017, or five months later.

Since then, Zubiri believes there has been a resurgence of radicalization in the region.

“So we have to urge of course the BARMM government together with the local officials na i-monitor talaga itong mga radicalization efforts. Hindi mawawala ‘yan eh,” he said.

BARMM is Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.