MANILA, Philippines — A state of emergency in Mindanao is not necessary at this time following the deadly Sunday bombing at the Mindanao State University in Marawi City, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Although the blast killed four people and injured 50 others, PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said the national police remained in control of the situation.
“Wala pa po tayo sa ganyang estado [mag declare ng state of emergency sa Mindanao] dahil the PNP is on top of the situation until now, at ang ating Armed Forces of the Philippines is in close coordination with our personnel sa area ng Lanao del Sur,” Fajardo said in a press briefing on Monday.
(We are not yet on that status because the PNP is on top of the situation until now, and we are in close coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines around the Lanao del Sur area.)
Instead, the PNP official said they would deploy additional troops within the affected areas and increase police presence in targeted areas, such as the government installation and critical infrastructure.
Earlier on Monday, police said they are looking into two “persons of interest” in the bomb attack.
Police Regional Office Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR) assistant chief Lieutenant Eirene Mazon did not reveal the names of the individuals but said they reside in areas within Lanao del Sur.
In a separate statement issued on the same day, Islamic State militants claimed responsibility for the blast that happened during a Catholic Mass inside a gymnasium of the Mindanao State University early Sunday, December 3.
The Islamic State group, which wields influence in the country’s south, said on Telegram its members had detonated the explosive. The deadly bombing triggered heightened security alerts in the region and around Metro Manila.
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