Philippines’ President Rodrigo Duterte declared on Saturday a “state of lawlessness” in the country after an explosion in a market killed 14 people in his home city while he was on a regular weekend visit there.
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Philippine ports were put on heightened alert on Saturday following the deadly Friday night explosion at a night market in Davao City.
She also announced in her message that the City Government of Davao will assist the victims and their families in their needs for hospitalization, burial, funeral and day-to-day expenses.
“We have predicted this and have warned our troops accordingly but the enemy is also adept at using the democratic space granted by our constitution to move around freely and unimpeded to sow terror”, Mr Lorenzana told reporters.
But presidential spokesman Martin Andanar said components of a suspected improved explosive device were found at the scene, according to CNN affiliate ABS-CBN.
The country’s premiere airport, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia), was also placed on full alert status following the blast.
The blast has claimed at least 13 lives and injured at least 60.
Pictures released show broken glass and plastic chairs scattered at the scene, which has since been cordoned off by police bomb experts and investigators. I thought it’s just barbecue. “I practically flew in the air”, witness Adrian Abilanosa told the AFP news agency as bodies lay strewn amid the debris.
An Abu Sayyaf spokesman, Abu Rami, claimed responsibility for the blast near the Jesuit-run Ateneo de Davao University and a five-star hotel.
Authorities said the Abu Sayyaf, a small band of militants that has declared allegiance to the Daesh group, most likely carried out the attack in response to a military offensive launched against it last week.
“It’s not martial law but it would require nationwide, well-coordinated efforts of the military and the police”, he said in a televised interview, adding that major checkpoints would be set up on all roads leading out of the city.
“We understand that local authorities continue to investigate the cause of the explosion in the night market, and the United States stands ready to provide assistance to the investigation”, Price said. In the first two months of Duterte’s “law and order” presidency, over 2500 people have been killed in the war on drugs in less than eight weeks. It is about 1,500km (932 miles) from the capital Manila.
The group aims to establish an independent Islamic state on the southern island of Mindanao, where Davao City is located.
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Following the bombing incident, President Duterte make his way to visit the wounded civilians admitted in San Pedro Hospital and Davao Medical Center on Saturday morning.
