President Benigno Aquino denied on Wednesday that Islamic State-linked militants are operating in the southern Philippines, describing armed groups in the area as mercenaries who are looking to raise funds from abroad.
A handful of small but violent militant groups in the south have posted videos in social media pledging alliance to Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria and displaying the trademark black flag.
“It’s difficult to call them Islamic State groups,” Aquino told reporters at an air base south of Manila, adding the groups were not driven by ideology nor religion. ”We believe it is mercenary reasons that are prompting them to do this.”
Aquino said local groups have been staging attacks in the south to draw attention to themselves and raise funding from the Middle East, especially from Islamic State.
Last month, the army and air force fought a small rebel group, which claimed to have links with Islamic State militants, in Lanao del Sur province. About 40 rebels and five soldiers died in the nine-day battle.
