Army chief bares existence of ISIS sleeper cells across Philippines

The leadership of the Philippine Army warned on Tuesday of the existence of Islamic State (IS) sleeper cells across the country, which may bring about another Marawi once activated.

Lt. Gen. Rolando Joselito Bautista, Army’s commanding general, made the disclosure on the eve of the first year of the siege in Marawi where the IS-inspired Maute group sowed terror in a bid to establish a caliphate.

He said the military discovered these sleeper cells during its campaign against the terrorists who reduced the city to rubble, forced residents to flee their homes and resulted in the deaths of thousands.

Baustista said areas of the sleeper cells included not only provinces in Mindanao but in Luzon and Visayas as well, citing Baguio City, Dagupan City, Tarlac, Samar, and Cebu.

“If they will be able to orchestrate such terroristic activities, it might be in the form of lone wolf once activated (the sleeper cells),” the Army chief told reporters at Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Source: Manila Times