The Armed Forces of Philippines Tuesday said they have received intelligence information about presence of terrorist elements from the local Abu Sayyaf and the Southeast Asian regional terror network in Metro Manila.

Armed forces chief of staff Generoso Senga made the revelation in a chance interview in Camp Aguinaldo, a day after National Security Adviser Norbero Gonzales disclosed that Metro Manila would be the next target of terrorist bombers.

"We are verifying information if there are indeed (Abu Sayyaf presence in Metro Manila) because there are information that reached us, indicating there is (presence). So we continuously verify because these are very mobile persons," said Senga.

However, Senga said that it is now impossible to determine the numbers of terrorists active in Metro Manila.

Last Sunday, the Abu Sayyaf detonated an improvised explosive devise on a inter-island passenger ship which docked at the Dangkalan wharf in Lamitan town, Basilan, south Philippines, injuring at least 30 people.

Source: Xinhua