SECURITY WATCH

There were no major incidents last week although the escape from custody of Indonesian terror suspect Fathur al-Ghozi has raised the specter of renewed terrorist activity within the Asian region. A number of countries including Malaysia and Indonesia are cooperating in the manhunt and even the MILF leadership, which has publicly renounced terrorism, has offered assistance.

Manila

• A police raid on an upmarket residential complex in Quezon city yielded three houses being used either as illegal laboratories or storage facilities for the manufacture of shabu. As a result, police surveillance of exclusive residential compounds throughout the metropolitan area has been tightened.

Luzon

In Pangasinan five suspected members of a local kidnap-for-ransom gang were killed in a shootout with police at Sta Maria town on Saturday 19th July.

Police in Nueva Ecija arrested a couple suspected of organizing the burning of a Manila bound bus on 1 July. The two, were both arrested at an NPA safehouse in Barangay Baloy in Cuyapo town. Both were active NPA members.

Visayas

In the Eastern Visayas, tropical storm Gilas brought heavy rain and strong winds. Two people died as a result of the storm. Brownouts caused by downed power lines were experienced in Souther Leyte and in Bolisan. Sea going vessels under 1,000 tons were not allowed to put to see during the storm and travel was disrupted for many. In Manila the storm brought intermittent heavy rains and minor flooding but no casualties were reported.

Mindanao

One of the three suspects, a 23 year-old male, in last week's bomb attack on the market in Koronadel City has been detained by police.

Situation Report