Chief Superintendent Generoso Cerbo Jr. said coordination with various police units was being conducted to determine the specific security threat, especially in Pasay City where the US Embassy was located, that the advisory said was detected by “reliable security forces.”
“Looking back, this [attack on US embassies] started after the ‘Innocence of Muslims’ teaser that was uploaded in video sharing site YouTube,” Cerbo said, referring to the American produced anti-Islam film that has stirred violent protests across the globe.
He said that since a series of protests were staged in different Islamic countries, security has been beefed up by 50 percent in Metro Manila.
“We will just continue with what we have right now,” Cerbo said.
The embassy had requested additional police security following an attack that killed the US ambassador to Libya in the wake of protests over the anti-Islam film.
Meanwhile Pasay City police chief, Senior Superintendent Melchor Reyes said patrol security has been launched to guard the area outside the US Embassy.
“This security has been tasked to work 24/7,” the police chief said.
In an emergency message Friday, the US Embassy in Manila said “reliable security forces” detected a threat in suburban Pasay City. The embassy maintains a residential facility and a Veterans Affairs office in Pasay.
It did not describe the nature of the threat or say where the information came from. It says the threat remains through October 10.
It says Americans should exercise “extreme caution” and keep a low profile. With Associated Press