(Eagle News) — The Japanese Embassy in Manila on Tuesday, Sept. 14, confirmed Tokyo has received information about a possible terror attack in Southeast Asian nations, including the Philippines.
“We confirm that the Japanese government has received information about a possible terror attack, but we cannot give you any detailed background at the moment,” the embassy said in a statement.
It said it has “issued a warning to alert Japanese people residing in some Southeast Asian countries, but we cannot disclose the source.”
“We ask all Japanese residents to remain vigilant against terrorist attacks,” it added.
Armed Forces of the Philippines Spokesperson Colonel Ramon Zagala said reports on security matters were continuously validated.
He said based on the latest review, the threat level was “moderate.”
“We ensure that all citizens, Filipinos or not, as long as they are within our territory, are protected and kept safe from terrorists’ threats. This is also to underscore the importance of the active participation of the populace in defeating terrorism since security is, after all, everyone’s concern,” he added.
Philippine National Police Chief Guillermo Eleazar, meanwhile, said the PNP had not received any information on the supposed threat.
“However, this does not mean we will lower our guard on this matter. Our intelligence monitoring is stronger than ever, especially after the 9/11 attacks in the United States and the Marawi siege. We continue to work with other countries against terrorism through information sharing and partnership in dealing with terrorists,” he said.
On Monday, Sept. 13, the Associated Press reported Japan warned its citizens in six Southeast Asian nations–the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Myanmar—–to stay away from religious facilities and crowds.
This was after it obtained information “there are increased risks such as suicide bombings.”
