Palace assures public it is on top of situations after Leyte, North Cotabato blasts
Malacanang assured the public on Thursday that President Rodrigo Duterte is on top of the situation following separate explosions in Leyte and North Cotabato Wednesday night injuring a total of 40 people.
In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella downplayed insinuations that the twin blasts could be indicators for possible declaration of martial law.
"They are all under investigation right now," he said, noting that no group has claimed responsibility for the bombings.
Asked if Duterte was not concerned on what happened in Hilongos, Leyte and in Aleosan, North Cotabato where 32 and seven people, respectively, were injured in the explosions, Abella said, "definitely, he's on top of the matter."
Duterte, in a series of interviews with news agencies late Thursday, said the Leyte blasts were "drug-related." He said the explosions could not be blamed on any group, especially the New People's Army because they don't have "the record of throwing grenades at innocent people."
"Overall, it (Leyte blast) has nothing to do with the left," added Duterte.
In Camp Aguinaldo, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman Col. Edgard Arevalo called on the public to avoid public places during the holiday season.
Asked if there was terrorist threat in Metro Manila, Arevalo said:"Our answer is we cannot divulge specific place that will be targeted. As we said earlier, these terrorist groups are mobile. They could be anywhere especially in the areas where people gather."
"To our people, during this season of gathering, joy, we should not let our guard down as our security forces are not taking things complacently," added Arevalo.
Two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) rocked a plaza in Leyte where an amateur boxing match had been ongoing at around 9pm.
Two IEDs also exploded along the national highway in Barangay Pagangan Dos in Aleosan also past 9pm.
On December 24, an explosion occurred in front of a church in Midsayap, North Cotabato where 13 churchgoers were injured.
Abella said the recent incidents were areas of concern but should not be a cause for alarm.
He said in the case of the blasts in Hilongos, this was not a subject of previous threats like bombing.
The blasts were "not indicators that the context is being set up, let's say declaration of martial law for example," Abella said when asked if the recent incidents be a scenario for the possible declaration of martial law.
Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalao said the victims of the explosions would be given assistance. Celerina Monte/DMS
