A bomb exploded at about 10:15 pm (local) this evening killing ten and injuring thirty. The bomber(s) targeted the night market on Roxas Avenue close to the four star Marco Polo Hotel. President Rodrigo Duterte, who lives in the Matina district of the city some 5 km from Roxas, had returned to his home from the Palace in Manila for the weekend. According to press reports, it's unlikely he was the target. We know this area very well indeed. Roxas Avenue is a major jeepney terminus and the daily night market attracts thousands of shoppers seeking bargains. A very sad night for Dabawenyos.
One bomb, or two bombs, still not clear what happened, or who was responsible. Respects to all those affected by this, hope that Duterte hits back hard.
I see FB on asawas account has a "friend safe" notification service, something ive never seen before. RIP to those affected.
According to information I've just received, it is believed that Duterte was the target but this incident was intended to serve as a warning rather than a serious attempt on his life. After arriving in Davao this afternoon, Duterte was the guest of honour at the opening ceremony of a new container terminal in Buhangin, north of the city centre. As he lives in Matina, south of the centre, he might very well have been expected to use Roxas Avenue to continue south rather than take the more congested MacArthur Boulevard. At any rate he is safe. Paolo Duterte, his son and the Vice Mayor, has just given a press conference and said that the Police and Security Forces are looking for two suspects both dressed as massage therapists who were seen on CCTV fleeing from the scene just before the bomb(s) exploded.
Their uniform is very similar to a nurse's though it's seldom white. They are assumed to be massage therapists as they were dressed in that uniform and the explosion took place in a part of the market where there are quite a number of massage therapy "stalls".
I bet DU30 is kicking himself now for allowing that ransom to be paid which probably helped finance this.
I disagree, to some extent. I don't think it would cost a whole lot of money to carry out an act like this. If anything, it's the first bombing carried out by ASG in quite a while, and maybe the stories coming from Basilan and Jolo indicating that the ASG are preparing for "their final battle" indicate that the group is in a state of desperation. The mainstream media who have not been following recent events claim that ASG are on the rise. I'm not that sure myself, there has been a spate of kidnappings recently and the ASG have found this venture profitable because the Malaysian and Indonesian governments seem more willing to pay ransom demands. The purpose of an act such as this is to make the public scared and, consequently, angry. Maybe even angry enough to press the Government to stop chasing the ASG and to demand that the troops are withdrawn? Maybe attacking the president's back-yard sends a strong message that claims that his city "is safe" will be questioned? My condolences to all those who have lost loved ones, friends, and families in this terrible attack. Hopefully we will not see a repeat, and hopefully the ASG can be whittled down to a handful of members so that they no longer pose a threat to a peaceful and law-abiding public.
Revised casualty have been released: the number injured has risen to 60 and two seriously injured casualties died in hospital bringing the death toll to 12. An Abu Sayaf spokesman has denied his group is responsible but he postulated that the attack was made by a group with similar aims and ambitions due to most of the casualties being Christian. However, the Inquirer is reporting that Abu Sayaf has claimed responsibility for the bombing. The city has recently hosted its annual week-long Kadayawan Festival with thousands of performers and visitors from all over the Philippines coming to the city. Had the bombers struck a few days earlier, casualty figures could well have been somewhat higher.
An interesting point. Why not attack when Kadayawan was in progress? Or is there heightened security when the festival is on?
Mayor Sara Duterte - who recently announced she's pregnant with triplets - has reassured victims that the city will assist with the paying of medical and funeral expenses.
The Eagles nest has been attacked and guess what? Monkeys are busy laughing and mocking the Eagle not knowing that the Eagle is busy protecting the forest where those Monkeys belong. Just wait and see how the Eagles think and fight. Remember this one is the monkey-eating eagle.
Not yet on the news: Another bomb exploded earlier in my place in Polomolok, South Cotabato. The explosion happened near the house of the Vice Mayor. No casualties...
MILF rebels condemn Davao blast, offer to help govt COTABATO CITY - Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels, who are engaged in peace talks with the government, condemned on Saturday a bomb attack in Davao City that left scores dead and wounded. At the same time, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) offered to assist President Rodrigo Duterte in whatever way it can. "Kinonkondena namin sa leadership ng MILF yung pagpasabog ng bomba sa lungsod ng Davao. Sapagkat yung pagpasabog ng bomba na nagresulta sa pagkamatay ng maraming tao ay hindi karapat dapat na ginagawa ito ng sino mang tao na matino ang pag-iisip [The MILF leadership condemns the bomb attack in Davao City. This attack, which has resulted in the loss of many lives, should not have been done by someone in the right mind]," MILF Vice Chairman Ghazali Jaafar said. "We assure President Duterte that the MILF leadership will help, we are willing to help sa aming makakaya makatulong kami sa ano mang paraan na aming maitong [in whatever way we can]," Jaafar told ABS-CBN News by phone. Fourteen people were killed and 67 others were wounded after an explosion hit the Roxas night market in Duterte's hometown on Friday. http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/03/16/milf-rebels-condemn-davao-blast-offer-to-help-govt
According to my sources in Davao, a bomb was discovered last night at Center Point Plaza, a small shopping mall on MacArthur at Matina Crossing in the south of the city. After the area was sealed-off, Police ordinance experts defused and removed the device.
