President Duterte emphasised the need to the Philippine Armed Forces to prepare for terrorist attacks, and the likes of the Islamic State within the country.
Duterte told the Philippine Army’s 1st Infantry Division in Labangan, Zamboanga that “I see the looming problem. In three to seven years, we will have a problem with IS.”
Recently his son, and acting vice-Mayor of Davao City, Palo Duterte, announced that IS was in the city limits and possibly plotting a terror attack. He made the announcement several weeks ago in a statement to Mindanews.
When speaking to the PAF on Wednesday, Duterte confirmed the presence of “White Skinned” people who he believes are from the Middle East and are here to radicalize Filipinos.
Duterte went one step further by throwing the Communist Party of the Philippines, or the CPP-NPA under the bus by adding: “That’s what we should be scared of because like the communists they are conditioning the minds of people.”
IS is well known for winning over the poor and young Muslim youths throughout the world – Muslim Mindanao is the perfect storm to create a massive following for their cause.
The Military has refused to acknowledge the presence of IS in the Philippines, but endless signs, flag raising and videos show their presence throughout Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and even main land Zamboanga, including several regions of Mindanao.
IS has confirmed that they are inundating the Abu Sayyaf Group – the ABS has confirmed several times their allegiance to IS in videos and other tactics during their reign of terror throughout the southern Philippines.
Duterte admitted to the AFP that “the big challenge now is to prevent the ISIS disease from contaminating the Moro [population].”
Several sources indicate that the Philippines will not have to wait three to seven years to see the radicalization of the Abu Sayyaf and Filipinos within Mindanao – the terror they say, is already imminent.