President Duterte told a group of soldiers this week that they need to prepare for the onslaught of terrorism within the country and the surrounding area as “the next frontier of terrorism in Southeast Asia” will include Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.
Duterte said that after his war on drugs campaign he will focus on terrorism as the country’s next major problem.
During his speech with Philippine Army officials in Taguig, Duterte told the men: “Terrorism is here to stay, there seems to be no forceful influence that could stop them.”
“The battleground is the Middle East and the terrorists’ world is getting smaller every day because of cooperation among Britain, France, Russia and the United States, against terrorism.”
President Duterte told the group that based on intelligence reports from ‘other countries’, particularly the Middle East, ISIS is looking for a ‘new frontier.’
He warned soldiers that certain groups in Mindanao have sworn allegiance to ISIS, ISIL and other factions of terrorist organization.
Duterte assured the group that he attempted to talk of peace with those groups even before he assumed office in June of this year.
An official report out of Singapore this week has warned all of Southeast Asia that major attacks throughout Southeast Asia are eminent.
In the past several years ISIS has issued their own warnings via videos, and official meetings and encampments throughout Mindanao, including regions around General Santos City (Gensan), Cotabato City and several areas in mainland Mindanao including the Zamboanga peninsula.