Share

Philippines seeks three over deadly blast

“We’re trying to cope with a crisis now”.

Advertisement

He said the State of National Emergency on account of lawless violence would give “due regard to fundamental and civil political rights” and would have nothing to do with martial law or the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus.

Philippine forces were on alert amid an ongoing military offensive against Abu Sayyaf extremists in southern Sulu province, which intensified last week after the militants beheaded a kidnapped young villager.

Duterte-Carpio said the money, which came from the funds of the city government, would be given in exchange for any information leading to the arrest of those behind the blast. He also told the news agency that his father had been nowhere near the blast at the time.

But presidential spokesman Martin Andanar said components of a suspected improvised explosive device were found at the scene, according to CNN affiliate ABS-CBN.

Abu Rami, a spokesperson for the group, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in a phone call that it was Daulat Ul Islamiya which had carried out the bombing.

The explosion went off at about 10.30 p.m.at a market outside the Marco Polo hotel, a place Duterte visits often and used for meetings during a campaign for a May election that he won by a huge margin.

National Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that Abu Sayyaf wanted to retaliate after suffering heavy casualties on its stronghold of Jolo island about 900km from Davao.

Senior Supt Dubria said “there may be more persons of interest”.

Duterte, the longtime mayor of Davao City, has faced domestic and global criticism since taking national office for his hardline stance on suspected drug offenders.

Since Duterte took office just over two months ago, the government said more than 2,400 people have been killed in his anti-crime crusade. United Nations experts have criticized the Philippines for a wave of extrajudicial executions and killings since Duterte took office.

Police said they were looking to bring in two women and one man for questioning. He was scheduled to leave Monday afternoon to join a summit of Asian leaders and is expected to meet with President Barack Obama.

Advertisement

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea told reporters the President signed a proclamation on the declaration of the state of lawlessness before leaving for Vientiane, Laos Monday afternoon.

Philippine police officers look at dead victims after an explosion at a night market that has left about 10 people dead and wounded several others in southern Davao city