Before flying to Laos, President Duterte on Monday signed the proclamation of a state of national emergency on account of lawless violence, which calls on the military and the police to suppress and prevent lawless violence, according to Malacañang.
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Militant group Abu Sayyaf claimed responsibility for the attack.
Medialdea reiterated that the national emergency did not equate to martial law and no curfew would be imposed.
Friday’s incident was the latest in the southern Philippine city since 2005 when suspected Islamist terrorists set off a bomb in a bus terminal in Ecoland village, killing a child and wounding five others.
However the leader has been largely prized for having ended an armed conflict with communist guerrillas that lasted nearly five decades and killed at least 70,000 people.
Duterte, who inspected the scene of Friday night’s attack at a night market in downtown Davao city, said his declaration did not amount to an imposition of martial law.
Duterte, who served as a longtime mayor of Davao before assuming the presidency in June, was in the region but has not issued any statement.
“The post-blast investigation by the Philippine National Police (PNP) is underway and it is expected to come up with conclusive, official findings”, he said.
Police and military promised to implement the nationwide “state of lawlessness”, although there appeared to be confusion about what that actually entailed.
Duterte’s office said it referred to a constitutional clause that states the president has full power over the armed forces. This contradictions left the public puzzled as to what this state of lawlessness really entails and for how long it will be implemented. “I have this duty to protect this country”.
Operating in the jungles of some of its smaller islands is the Abu Sayyaf, a rebel group loosely linked to Islamic State and notorious for kidnappings, which Duterte has promised to flush out with stepped-up military offensives.
“I did not experience them being abusive, and I don’t think they will be abusive now”, Arroyo said in a press briefing.
Police said 67 people were wounded in addition to the 14 dead.
Duterte will meet Barack Obama at a regional summit in Laos on Tuesday, although he has made it clear he will take no lecture on human rights from the USA president.
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“To everyone, we just wanted to let you know that we need your help”, said Mayor Sara Duterte.
