AFP Orders Units to be Extra Vigilant in Wake of Bangkok Bombing

(PNA) — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has ordered all its units to be extra vigilant and coordinate closely with their police counterparts to foil a Erawan Shrine style bombing attack from happening in the country.

In the above-mentioned attack, 22 people were killed and 120 others wounded when still unknown bombers targeted the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok, Thailand last Aug. 17.

“I (have) directed our forces to be extra vigilant and conduct measures to prevent similar incident(s) to occur in our country,” AFP chief-of-staff Gen. Hernando DCA Iriberri said.

“Our efforts are in coordination with the Philippine National Police and other organizations engaged in security services,” he added.

Iriberri said this edict is in line with his orders to make the Philippines inhospitable to all threat groups.

As this develops, AFP public affairs office chief Col. Noel Detoyato clarified that there are no indications that similar attacks will take place here.

“There is none as of the moment, but nevertheless, the Chief-of-Staff has ordered our troops to be extra vigilant, (and) this means we will just increase our (security) activities and taskings, ” he stressed.

Detoyato said this means military units must be on the lookout “for any indicator, or indications or any relevant information that must be pursued.” (PNA) CTB/PFN