Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declared a nationwide “state of lawlessness” Saturday following a Friday bomb attack that killed 14 and injured about 70 in his hometown, the city of Davao.
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Davao City Government tweeted on its official account: “Let us pray for the victims of this unfortunate incident, especially for those who died”.
“An explosion hit in front of the Ateneo de Davao university”.
“It’s not until it’s a threat against the people martial law, and against the nation …”
Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte, the eldest daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, offers P2 M reward for the Davao bombing culprits.
Davao is the biggest city in the southern Philippines, with a population of about two million people.
U.S. National Security Council spokesman Ned Price said in a statement that local authorities in the Philippines continue to investigate the cause of the explosion, and the United States stands ready to provide assistance to the investigation.
The attack claimed the lives of 14 people and injured nearly 70 others.
Duterte says he may “invite uniformed personnel to run the country according to my specification”, but insisted the declaration isn’t the same as martial law, adding that civil liberties, including writ of habeas corpus, haven’t been suspended.
President Duterte also commanded the military last week to use their full force to stop the Abu Sayyaf after the rebel group rejected his call to stop their terror attacks.
After the explosion in the night market on Friday evening, there were reports of a transmission tower bombed in North Cotabato and the Polomolok vice mayor’s house damaged by a hand grenade explosion in South Cotabato.
“There is nothing definite about it but it has resulted in the death of.at least 10 persons, and injury of about 60”, Abella said.
Police Regional Office (PRO)-Davao Director Manuel Gaerlan said they are conducting a thorough investigation.
Duterte’s Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the president would forge ahead with what would be his first overseas trips, although he was initially reluctant.
“Unfortunately, we can not frisk or order people to stop because it would be fascistic”.
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Davao is part of the southern region of Mindanao, where Islamic militants have waged a decades-long separatist insurgency that has claimed more than 120,000 lives. “I warned, I remember warning everybody that there could be a reprisal because of the pressure there in Sulu which is going on”, Duterte said.
