Police on alert after Black Nazarene feast

MANILA, Philippines—Police said Tuesday they were hunting Islamic militants who may still be planning to attack Metro Manila, a day after a massive Catholic procession went ahead without incident.

President Benigno Aquino had warned that militants were planning to bomb Monday’s spectacular Feast of the Black Nazarene, when an estimated eight million pilgrims converged on Manila in a bid to touch a centuries-old icon of Jesus Christ.

The feared attack in Asia’s Catholic outpost did not take place after heavy security was imposed in the city, but Philippine National Police chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome said Tuesday that there was still a threat.

“Metro Manila remains on full alert,” Bartolome told reporters, adding between six and nine suspects were being tracked.

“We are conducting surveillance on certain houses,” he said, without giving further details.

PNP spokesman Agrimero Cruz also said safety measures put in place for the procession would remain on Manila’s mass public transport services, as well as its airports and the city’s port.

“We apologize to the public over the measures that are in place to protect the majority. These are being undertaken with public safety and security in mind,” Cruz told reporters.

“We can’t say how long these will last.”

The government had said the suspects may belong to the Al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf, blamed for the country’s deadliest terrorist attacks, or the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

The front has been waging a separatist rebellion in the south since the 1960s that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.

Its leaders are currently involved in peace talks with the government and have disavowed terrorism, but have previously acknowledged an inability to control “rogue” members.