Tourism Department looks out on ISIS threat on Miss Universe 2017 pageant to be hosted by the Philippines.
The officials of Department of Tourism insisted the country would be ready to hold the pageant next year despite of the threat of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria to bomb Miss Universe next year.
This is the statement released by DOT after an online tutorial where Miss Universe event, which is set to be staged in the Philippines, was mentioned and explained how to make a suicide bomb.
In one of the comments underneath the video, one sick poster suggested “Create bomb for miss universe.”
“We consider this as serious,” said the Department of Tourism, which last month announced it won the contest to host the 2017 pageant, after reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach met and talked with Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte.
DOT cited the country’s successful hosting of Pope Francis last year, as well as world leaders for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, as proof that it was ready for the expected influx of visitors for Miss Universe.
The threat would be referred to an intelligence group assigned to the pageant, said Philippine National Police spokesman Senior Superintendent Dionardo Carlos.
“That’s going to be looked at,” he said, without giving details.
A pro-ISIS social media channel tracked by the terror-monitoring SITE Intelligence Group showed a video on how to “create a bomb for Miss Universe,” referring to the beauty pageant to be held in Manila in January 2017.
The video, posted on Monday, appeared to show how to make an explosive belt for suicide operations.
Filipino Muslim militants operating in the south of the country, the Abu Sayyaf Group, have in recent years pledged allegiance to the IS, though security officials and analysts said they were more focused on raising ransom from kidnappings than propagating an ideology.
The Islamic State (ISIS) threat is thought to be growing in South East Asia with the group gaining support in the region.