Defense chief says PHL getting foreign help in anti-terror campaign

DEFENSE SECRETARY Delfin N. Lorenzana said the United States and neighboring countries have been helping the Philippine government in combatting terrorism, particularly the threat posed by the Islamic State’s (IS) followers and allies in east Asia. In the aftermath of the church bombing in Jolo last Jan. 27 that was claimed by IS, Mr. Lorenzana said, “Yes, we got assistance from the Americans,” noting that their troops helped in the rescue operations as well as in tracking down the perpetrators. “In fact, they have been helping us track these terrorists even before the bombing and they were the first to rescue our assets and bring some wounded to Zamboanga,” said Mr. Lorenzana at a forum last Monday. Within the region, Mr. Lorenzana said Singapore was among those that helped, aside from Indonesia and Malaysia. “We also got assistance from Singapore, the intelligence there,” he said. “I think because the three countries here — Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines — we consider ourselves as just one area infested by terrorists. The so-called East Asia ISIS actually straddles the three countries, the triangle. We are all in this together and we have agreed to fight this together,” he added. — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras