But presidential spokesman Martin Andanar said components of a suspected improvised explosive device were found at the scene, according to CNN affiliate ABS-CBN.
Advertisement
“We have copies of the CCTV (closed-circuit television), we have eight possible witnesses but we have named no one [as suspects]”, she told AFP.
“We can hardly call people, but we can still inflict damage to the soldiers”, Askali said, describing how tight their situation in Sulu was.
“While nobody has owned up to this act, we can only assume that this was perpetrated by the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf that has suffered heavy casualties”, Lorenzana was quoted as saying by Reuters.
“But this is not the first time that Davao City has been sacrificed in the altar of violence”.
“The technical aspect of the investigation, we are still not ready to divulge it but we hope we can pursue the suspects”, Gaerlan added.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office warns against travel to southern provinces where the group is most active – including Mindanao where Davao is located – and says a high threat from terrorism exists throughout the country. He said that the bomb was likely to have been planted by Abu Sayyaf in an effort to divert the military’s attention from its operations to flush the militants out of their strongholds on the islands of Basilan and Jolo.
The Philippines is a predominantly Catholic country, with a large Muslim population in the south.
Following the attack, President Duterte declared a state of lawless violence in the country – ordering the military and police to “run the country in accordance to [his] specifications”.
Abella emphasised that the president was not declaring martial law, which he could do only in response to an “invasion or rebellion, and when the public safety requires it”. Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza said the military can support the police in law enforcement under the declaration. “We want to know who his cohorts are, their group, and their other terror plans”. I can not control the movement of the citizens of the city and every Filipino has the right to enter and leave Davao. “So we just really have to be careful”, the secretary said.
He also said all police units were also placed on full alert status nationwide.
Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, and son of the Philippine president, wrote in a statement published to Facebook, “Rest assured the authorities are on top of this incident”. More than 2,000 alleged drug dealers and users have been killed since Duterte’s June 30 inauguration.
Advertisement
Duterte discussed the appointment of a new police city director with PNP Director General Ronald dela Rosa and they agreed to come up with a shortlist. Among those who were killed instantly by the blast was a 12-year old child.
