By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Amid the tensions that gripped Marawi City following the Sunday blast during a Catholic mass at the gymnasium of Mindanao State University (MSU), Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Alonto Adiong Jr. on Monday ruled out that it was a “suicide bombing” that the Islamic State (IS) group has claimed responsibility for the attack which killed at least four people and injured 50 others.

In a statement on its Telegram channels, the IS group said that “soldiers of the caliphate detonated an explosive device on a large gathering of Christians… in the city of Marawi.”

To recall, Marawi City — the country’s largest Muslim city — was besieged by pro-IS Maute and Abu Sayyaf extremists, including foreign and local fighters —  in 2017 during the previous Duterte administration.

After five months of fierce gunbattle, the Philippine military recovered the ruined city and more than 1,000 lives had been wasted.

“Hindi (suicide bombing),” Adiong Jr said in an interview with TeleRadyo Serbisyo.

For his part, Marawi City Mayor Majul Gandamra strongly condemned the Sunday bombing and urged members of the Muslim and Christian communities to remain united.

“Our city has long been a beacon of peaceful coexistence and harmony, and we will not allow such acts of violence to overshadow our collective commitment to peace and unity,” Gandamra said.

(ai/mnm)

MANILA — In a devastating incident, a bomb attack during a Catholic mass in Marawi, the largest Muslim city in the Philippines, claimed the lives of at least three (3) individuals and left seven (7) others injured on Sunday (Dec 3), according to officials.

The blast occurred during a routine service at the Mindanao State University’s gymnasium, prompting regional police Chief Allan Nobleza to investigate whether it was an improvised explosive device (IED) or a grenade attack.

Mindanao State University promptly condemned the violence, suspending classes and enhancing campus security. The university issued a statement expressing solidarity with the Christian community and all those affected by the tragedy.

Governor Mamintal Adiong visited wounded victims, as documented on the Lanao del Sur provincial government’s Facebook page, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.

Marawi City Mayor Majul Gandamra called for unity among the Muslim and Christian communities, reaffirming the city’s commitment to peaceful coexistence despite the disturbing act of violence.

This incident follows a recent Philippine military airstrike that targeted and killed 11 militants associated with the Dawlah Islamiyah-Philippines organization in Mindanao. The military disclosed that the group had plans for attacks in Maguindanao del Sur province.

Both Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao del Sur fall within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. The region has long been plagued by militant attacks on buses, Catholic churches, and public markets, reflecting the deep-seated unrest.

While a peace pact was signed in 2014 with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the nation’s largest rebel group, smaller factions opposing the deal persist. This includes militants aligned with the Islamic State group and communist rebels operating in the region.

The investigation into Sunday’s attack is exploring possible links to Friday’s airstrike, and authorities are also considering whether remnants of the Marawi siege by the Maute and Abu Sayyaf militant groups are involved, as per Chief Allan Nobleza’s statements.

Airstrike

On Saturday, the Philippine military announced that an airstrike had successfully eliminated 11 armed Islamist militants, effectively dismantling a significant faction among the various small armed groups active in the southern region of the country.

Acting upon information from a civilian source, two military aircraft conducted an airstrike on a mountainous village in Mindanao, on target was a gathering of members from the Dawlah Islamiyah-Philippines organization that took place on Friday.

Several hours after the airstrike, ground forces were able to retrieve the bodies of 11 Filipino militants, including the alleged leader, according to Lieutenant-Colonel Dennis Almorato.

(Amado Inigo/MNM)