A few seconds later, the bomb went off, Gaerlan said.
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“For the city government side, we are working on that it is an Abu Sayyaf retaliation”, Davao Mayor Sara Duterte, who is also the president’s daughter, told CNN Philippines.
“It is always connected with the Abu Sayyaf or in Central Mindanao”, he said, according to a statement from his office. Senior Superintendent Michael John Dubria told reporters the man had gone for a massage in the market and left the bag in that area.
Another person may have detonated the device with a cellular phone, he suggested.
Aguirre explained the rampant killings and the threats committed by terrorist groups are all “factual basis” to declare a state of lawless violence.
“I am sorry for what happened, but we welcome everybody who wants to visit Davao City”.
Gaerlan said any group can claim responsibility over the explosion but that is normal.
Chief Inspector Andrea de la Cerna, who is leading the investigation, said police were not ruling out other motives for the attack.
“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.
Concern over Duterte’s anti-crime crackdown increased further after he declared a “state of lawlessness” following a bombing in his hometown of Davao last Friday that left 14 dead and about 70 injured. In the past week, the military sent thousands of troops to hunt for the extremists on the island of Jolo, in the southern province of Sulu, where members of Abu Sayyaf are believed to be holding hostages.
He was scheduled to leave Monday afternoon to join a summit of Asian leaders and is expected to meet with President Barack Obama. More than 2,000 suspected drug pushers and users have been killed since Duterte launched a war on drugs after taking office on June 30. “That’s what the President said during our meeting”, revealed Andanar through the government’s radio station.
The dominant Catholic church, human rights groups and even UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon have criticized Duterte for his apparent support of extrajudicial killings.
Malacañang has yet to release the official proclamation but Medialdea said it will likely be released on Tuesday, September 6.
Aguirre clarified that the state of lawlessness is not like martial law but only a “precautionary measure” of the President to protect the people.
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“They can use it to boost their popularity but as I said, we are still investigating”, he said.
