Southern Philippines police tighten security

Updated: 2014-06-30 07:31

By Reuters in Manila (China Daily)

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Security forces went on full alert in the southern Philippines on Sunday, police said, after military intelligence reported sightings of Islamist militants in the region after the detention of a top al-Qaeda-linked leader.



"Information received with high reliability revealed a possible terrorist threat to the peace and security of Region 11, particularly in Davao City," Chief Superintendent Reuben Sindac, national police spokesman, said in a statement.


President Benigno Aquino III called the Davao City mayor to relay the possible threat. Davao is the country's third-largest metropolitan area with a population of more than 2 million.



"We are preparing for possible retaliatory attacks from Islamist militants to avenge the arrest of Mundos," an army intelligence officer said, adding the presence of Islamist rebels was reported to them in Davao City a couple of days ago.


Marwan has a $5 million bounty from the US State Department for his arrest, while Basit Usman has a $1 million bounty. Both were earlier reported killed in air strikes, but they survived with some injuries.