Aquino: PH must remain vigilant despite Bin Laden’s death

MANILA, Philippines—President Aquino on Monday said the nation has to “remain vigilant” in the fight against terrorism despite the death of Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden.

A few hours after the United States confirmed it had killed Bin Laden in Pakistan, Aquino said Bin Laden’s death “marks a signal defeat for the forces of extremism and terrorism” and “represents the end of one man to stoke the fires of sectarian hatred and to promote terrorism on a scale unprecedented in the history of mass murder.”

“Let us not forget that this is not just an achievement for the United States. It has brought justice to over a dozen Filipinos who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, in the World Trade Center,” said a statement issued by the President and read to the media by his spokesman, Edwin Lacierda.

Saying that the death of Bin Laden “should not lull us into complacency,” Aquino said the country “must remain vigilant and united in pursuing peace, pluralism and collective efforts at security.”

“Together with my national security team, we continue to take all relevant precautions and steps to ensure the safety of our people,” he said, adding the nation “remains committed to fighting terrorism and is in solidarity with the peoples of the United Nations.

Lacierda told a news briefing that even if the Aquino administration has not received any report indicating there could be retaliatory actions here by the Abu Sayyaf Group, which had links to Al-Qaeda, the police remained in full alert and had taken measures to increase patrols in diplomatic areas, including the US embassy in Manila.

He said all relevant precaution had been undertaken to ensure the security of the people.