The National Bureau of Investigation – Counter Terrorism Unit (NBI-CTU) Monday said it is shifting its focus to Mindanao which is usually the target of terrorists’ international groups even as it bared its move to hold more seminars on explosions, bombs and mines to counter terrorism.

Regional Director Ric Diaz, chief of NBI-CTU, said the bureau started conducting seminars and lectures in Mindanao on NBI operatives and investigators to make sure that they are equipped with knowledge on explosions, bombs and mines.

“We are holding seminars for our agents, operatives and investigators there. Mindanao is usually the target of terrorism like in Davao, General Santos, Cotabato, Zamboanga. So we have to bring our focus there. This is a serious matter,” said Diaz.

Apart from Mindanao, Diaz also said the bureau is holding seminars and lectures for bureau agents, investigators, and operatives in Cebu and Visayas region and National Capital Region (NCR).

“In the near future, we will also hold seminars all over the Philippines to make sure we can cope. But for the meantime, our focus is in Mindanao and Metro Manila,” he said.

Diaz earlier said the Philippines will join Malaysia and Indonesia in a tri-border police and prosecutor international program initiated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) next month in the United States as global war against terrorism continues.

He will join the four-man Philippine delegate to attend Tri-Border Police and Prosecutor International Visitor’s Program (IVP) scheduled on Nov. 2-13. Apart from Diaz, two officials from the Philippine National Police and one prosecutor will join the Philippine team.

“The program will be a two-week study tour to the US for operational-level police managers and prosecutors working counter-terrorism matters,” said Diaz, adding that the participants will travel to Washington DC on Oct. 31 where the program will begin on Nov. 2.