Suspects in the NAIA 3 bomb try at DOJ. JOAN BONDOC
MANILA, Philippines 鈥揟here is no destabilization plot聽despite the reported plan by聽a group of military reservists聽to bomb聽specific targets聽in Metro Manila, including the聽Ninoy聽Aquino International Airport聽(Naia), the Armed聽Forces of the聽Philippines said on Wednesday.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no destabilization angle on that report kasi imagine ano lang 鈥榶un, labintador tapos nilagayan聽ng gasoline (It鈥檚 just a firecracker and gasoline). Anybody can do that so I think that鈥檚 really something that (we should really not be bothered about),鈥� General General Gregorio Pio Catapang聽Jr., AFP Chief of Staff, told reporters after attending his confirmation hearing at the Senate.
Catapang was referring to聽Monday鈥檚 foiled聽plot聽to聽bomb聽the Naia allegedly聽by聽a聽group protesting聽China鈥檚 occupation of disputed isles in the South China Sea.
He also dismissed as mere 鈥渁llegation鈥� reports that the same group was planning to bomb SM Mall of Asia, in Pasay and 聽 the聽聽 Chinese聽聽 Embassy and the headquarters of property developer D.M. Consunji Inc. 聽 in Makati City, all Chinese-operated establishments.
鈥淲ell that鈥檚 the allegation but we looked around, sabi may mga threat din sa kampo namin pero negative naman so we didn鈥檛 want to put more, bigyan sila聽ng importansya,鈥� said the聽military chief.
(Well that鈥檚 the allegation but we looked around and found out that there were threats in our camp. But we discovered they were 鈥渘egative鈥� and we just do not want to give them more importance.)
Catapang said they would just聽leave it up to the聽National Bureau of Investigation to file the聽appropriate charges聽against those behind the聽foiled聽Naia terror plot.
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