BY: FAYETTE C. RIÑEN
CEBU CITY, September 18 (PIA) --- The newly-installed commanding general of the Armed Forces of the Philippines – Central Command (CentCom) Maj. Gen. Nicanor Vivar dismissed reports of possible recruitment of Filipino jihadists in the Visayas by ISIS militants amid news reports that the terrorist group is now in the country to convince Filipino fighters to join its group.
“We have not received any official report of any recruitment or attempts to recruit Filipino muslims by the ISIS,” bared Vivar during a talk with the Cebu press recently adding that what he knows about the ISIS recruitment specifically in Mindanao is just based on newspapers reports.
The Islamic State (Isis) militants is a known terrorist group which has taken control of some sections of Syria and Iraq making huge money from oil smuggling, extortion, theft and human trafficking based on the article of the News Middle East about the feared organization.
It was former President Fidel Ramos who exposed the information that the ISIS group is now gaining entry into the country especially in Mindanao to recruit some Filipino jihadists. But another national news report gave credence to the Ramos’ expose’ citing a report from the Department of Foreign Affairs that two Filipinos died in Syria fighting with the opposition.
Vivar expressed belief that the ISIS cannot penetrate the Visayas Region as “Visayans are peace-loving people and will not tolerate any acts of terrorism.”
The CentCom commander also said that unlike Mindanao, Muslim population in the Visayas is not clustered in an area but rather sparsely distributed. (mbcn/FCR/PIA7)