A senior Filipino police official Wednesday said that a looming military and police offensive against the rebels in southern Philippines will not affect the ongoing Association of Southeast Asian Nations Ministerial Meeting (AMM) in Manila.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Deputy Director General Avelino Razon Jr. said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the PNP have made preparations to contain the operation in Basilan in southern Philippines.
"The police operation of PNP in Basilan to run after criminal elements that beheaded the Marines will not affect the 40th AMM. There will be no spill over of the operation outside Basilan," Razon told a press briefing.
In addition to the police and the AFP, he said that the security task force also includes elements from the Philippine Coast Guard and the Metro Manila Development Authority.
Razon said the PNP has not received any threat to the upcoming meetings but stressed that it is not taking any chances.
He said police patrols gave been going around the Philippine International Convention Centers where the meetings will be held on a 24-hour basis. Sniffing dogs will also be used extensively all throughout the conference.
Since last week, traffic has been re-routed within the vicinity of the conference center complex.
The 40th AMM, which will formally open on Sunday, will be attended by foreign ministers of the 10-member states of ASEAN.
This will be followed by the Post Ministerial Conferences which will be attended by the ASEAN dialogue partners including Australia, Canada, China, European Union, India, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, South Korea and the United States.
Source: Xinhua
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