Crowd, not ISIS, seen as ‘threat’ to Pope visit, says Catapang
Pope Francis. AP
MANILA, Philippines – Armed Forces chief Gregorio Pio Catapang said Tuesday that the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria does not pose a threat to the visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines next year.
Catapang said that Islamist militants in the country have only sympathized with ISIS and they do not pose a threat to Pope Francis.
What he sees as a problem though is the large crowd that would surround Pope Francis on his visit.
“The threat is the crowd; they may congregate on the small area where Pope is,” Catapang said. “People like him very much.”
He added that the stars of the “Greatest Escape” from Position 68 in Golan Heights would be the primary military men to guard the Pope.
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