He said his declaration that covers the southern Mindanao region did not amount to an imposition of martial law.
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The President declared “a state of lawlessness” that will allow him to authorize the military to assume some police powers to suppress lawless violence.
“We have predicted this and 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”, Lorenzana said in a statement.
Experts in counter-terrorism worry that fighters hardened in Syria and Iraq may have joined the Abu Sayyaf group whose leaders have pledged allegiance to Islamic State in videos as they seek a Philippines caliphate.
Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Abu Sayyaf would have good reason to retaliate and he had placed the military on high alert for possible attacks elsewhere.
The Philippine National Police are now looking for four persons of interest in Davao City blast that have killed 14 individuals and injured 67 civilians.
A thorough investigation is being conducted to determine the cause of the explosion.
President Duterte added “we are not new to this kind”.
The Catholic Church in the Philippines is praying for the victims of the explosion that hit a city night market in Davao, southern Philippines.
Meanwhile, Martin Andanar, Presidential Communications secretary said that investigators found shrapnel which were from mortar-based bombs which was an indication that the attack was planned to produce numerous casualties.
TIGHT SECURITY Security forces are scattered all over Davao City as the threat of another terrorist attack remains high following the September 2 blast that left 14 people dead.
His election has prompted a spike in drug-related killings, with more than 2,000 deaths since he took office on 30 June, almost half of them in police operations.
Duterte is hugely popular in Davao, having served as its mayor for more than 22 years before his stunning national election win in May, garnered from the popularity of a promised war on drugs.
In 2003, Arroyo placed Davao City under a “state of lawlessness” after successive attacks on the global airport and Sasa wharf left over two dozen people killed.
The Philippines media reported that Mr Duterte, Davao’s former mayor, signed the one-page proclamation shortly before he left for the Association of the South-east Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in Laos yesterday.
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Abu Rami, a spokesman for Abu Sayyaf, confirmed the news to local Radio DZMM.
