President Duterte declared a nationwide state of lawlessness following Friday night’s bomb attack in Davao City that claimed 14 lives and injured 71 people.
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At least 14 people were killed and more than 80 injured in an explosion that ripped through a popular market in Davao City, Philippines.
“I must declare a state of lawless violence in this country, it’s not martial law”, Duterte told reporters in Davao on Saturday.
More details in Sunday’s Borneo Bulletin. The current administration’s policy of publicly shaming alleged cartel bosses, as well as violent anti-crime operations, have drawn the ire of drug syndicates, and condemnation from global human rights groups. “We are encouraging the public not to cower over the incident as their final objective is really to terrorize the people”.
Rescuers carry a body bag after an explosion at a market in Davao City, Philippines September 3, 2016.
“We know that this is not a fascist state”.
Many of those at the blast zone sought refuge at nearby Ateneo de Davao, prompting a school lockdown.
The deadly bomb that ripped through the home town of president Rodrigo Duterte late on Friday, is the first violent challenge to his “shock and awe” style rule that has exposed deep fissures in Philippine society and tossed a political hand grenade into Asian politics.
“It is always connected with the Abu Sayyaf or in Central Mindanao”, he said, according to a statement from his office.
In addition to the flurry of drug cartel violence, Islamic extremism has been a growing problem for the island nation in recent years – a claim made earlier in the USA presidential cycle by Donald Trump that resulted in widespread mockery and laughter – led primarily by Abu Sayyaf.
The White House offered condolences and assistance, which National Security Council spokesman Ned Price said President Barack Obama would convey when he meets Duterte in Laos next week.
The President said the declaration of “lawlessness” did not amount to the imposition of martial law, but allowed for the deployment of troops to urban centers to support police patrols and set up checkpoints.
“We are doing everything to maintain normalcy in the entire country, “Dela Rosa said”.
While urging the people to remain calm, Duterte said they should also be vigilant. “I said, government is here with you”.
Duterte’s office said it was “rooted” in an article of the constitution that puts the president in charge of the armed forces.
“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. We have enough heartache already.
On possible lapse in intelligence, De la Rosa said mistakes happen and that even the Central Intelligence Agency had failed many times to forewarn the United States government of terror attacks.
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Security forces have since then raised heightened alert status in the National Capital Region, Davao and Cebu, because of raw information that the ASG might start terror attacks. Gen. Restituto Padilla told reporters on Wednesday, August 31 that security and law enforcement agencies had been on high alert, according to a TV5 report.
