Leyte bombing drug related, says Duterte

Victims of the Dec. 28 bombing at the Hilongos town plaza in Leyte are being treated at a local hospital. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

President Rodrigo Duterte has said that the bombing in Leyte on Wednesday night is drug related and involves Moro people.

“(It is) drug-related, and involving Moro people,” he said in an interview with ANC on Thursday.

He said the bombing at the Hilongos town plaza could not be the doing of the New People’s Army (NPA), saying the group did not have a record of attacking innocent people, and because there was an ongoing ceasefire between the government and the communists.

“Ang NPA, wala silang record na magtapon ng granada sa mga taong inosente (The NPA has no record of lobbing a grenade at innocent people); it has nothing to do with the left or communists,” he said.

Two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were found used in the bombing that injured 33 people.

READ: 2 IEDs exploded at Leyte town plaza; 33 hurt–police

Duterte said he would be visiting Leyte on Friday before flying to Davao City.