Leyte, N. Cotabato bombings shouldn’t be cause for alarm — Palace
MANILA, Dec. 29 (PNA) — Malacanang on Thursday said the public has no reason to be alarmed despite two explosions that rocked Leyte and North Cotabato last Wednesday night.
“It’s an area of concern but not alarming,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said in a press briefing in Malacanang.
The Leyte bombing happened at around 9 p.m. at the plaza of Hilongos town while about 500 people are watching an amateur boxing match as part of the town fiesta activities. It injured 34 people.
An hour later, another improvised explosive device (IED) went off beside the national highway in Barangay Bagangan in Aleosan, North Cotabato, injuring six persons on board a 10-wheeler truck.
Asked why people should not be alarmed, Abella said there are no groups who made actual claims of the bombings.
“So we cannot pinpoint any specific area or person responsible,” he said.
Leyte police provincial director Supt. Franco Simborio believed that the Leyte bombing could be an act of retaliation from an arrested drug suspect.
The Palace official also downplayed speculations that the two bombings might lead to the declaration of martial law by President Rodrigo Duterte.
“These are not indicators at that context of being set up for, let’s say, declaration of martial law,” he said.
Abella also explained that Hilongos is not area that has been the subject to threats like bombings.
He said the authorities are investigating the twin bombings which happened five days after unidentified persons threw a hand grenade near Sto. Nino Parish church, injuring 12 people in Midsayap, North Cotabato. (PNA)
