Three terrorists apparently bribed their way out of jail in the capital. One of them was a top bomb maker for Jemaah Islamiyah, and the other two were members of Abu Sayyaf. Corruption in the police and army is an old problem, and the current government has tried to crack down hard on it.
Australia is providing five million dollars in anti-terrorism aid, as well as special police training. Australia is concerned about the safety of the 100,000 Australians who live in the Philippines.