PNP: No imminent threat to US Embassy

A man walks past the U.S. Embassy in Manila, Philippines on Thursday Sept. 13, 2012 as its flag is on half mast following the death of U.S. diplomats in Libya. Manila police tightened security in the area following the attack that killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans in Libya. AP PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–The US mission in the country is safe from angry Muslim protesters–for now, at least.

The Philippine National Police on Monday said there was no imminent danger to the US embassy in Manila following the bloody protests in several countries in the Middle East, northern Africa and some parts of Europe triggered by an anti-Islam film.

Nonetheless, Chief Supt. Generoso Cerbo Jr., PNP spokesperson, said various police units and government agencies had been coordinating with local Muslim leaders to avert similar violence from happening in the country.

According to Cerbo, the PNP was also providing security to the official residences of US Ambassador Harry Thomas, the staff members of the American embassy and officials of other embassies.

“With the developments in the Middle East and other countries, we are doing what we can to safeguard them, complemented by our continuous monitoring if there are possible threats,” Cerbo said in a press briefing.

“On a positive note, we see no imminent threats as reported by our police units… at this point. But we are playing safe. That’s why we are still implementing security arrangements,” he said.

He lauded the efforts of Mujiv Hataman, acting governor of Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, to initiate talks with Muslim clerics in a bid to thwart violent protest actions against the US.

He said Hataman’s efforts were being duplicated by police units in Mindanao and in Muslim communities nationwide.

“It’s a good thing that we have maintained a good relationship with Filipino Muslims in the Philippines. I think keeping that line of communications with them is very critical,” said Cerbo. “We want to assure the public, specially our Muslim brothers, that the PNP is ready to sit with them so that we can prevent similar events now happening in the Middle East,” he added.