AFP will intensify intelligence gathering, no need to raise alert level

MANILA, Philippines—The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will intensify its intelligence and information gathering but will not raise its alert status despite the nearing 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attack in New York, a military spokesman said Thursday.

In a text message sent to members of the media, AFP spokesman Colonel Arnulfo Burgos, Jr.  said they have not monitored any threats hence they are not elevating their alert level.

But unified commanders have been authorized to raise their alert level depending on their assessment on the security situation in their locality, Burgos added.

“However we are intensifying our intelligence collection effort and continue the conduct of sustained security operations particularly in the countryside,” Burgos said.

“We will further strengthen our linkages with other security forces and law enforcement agencies particularly the Philippine National Police in terms of intelligence sharing,” he added.

Nearly 3,000 people were killed when Al-Qaeda-linked hijackers crashed planes into the twin towers of the World Trade Center, the US military base Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001.