Philippines sees no credible threats from ISIS: official

Philippine authorities have found no credible threats from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in the country, a senior government official said Saturday.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. made the remarks in the wake of the recent killing of eight militants, allegedly sympathizers of the international terror group.

Coloma said this was the information relayed to Malacanang, the presidential palace, by both the police and the military.

"No credible and verified foreign terrorist presence has been established in our country and this is the reason we need not unduly raise our alert level," Coloma said, quoting the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

He said the Philippine National Police reported that validation of information gathered thus far has produced no basis to confirm the presence of the international terror group.

"The intelligence community continues to monitor threats to ensure proper response by the security forces," he added.

Early this week, the Philippine Marines encountered and killed in southern province of Sultan Kudarat eight bandits, who allegedly had links with the ISIS following recovery of documents and flags of the terror group in their possession. Endit