A suspected bomb explosion during a Catholic mass at Mindanao State University in Marawi City, Philippines, resulted in the death of at least four people and injuries to 50 others.
The blast occurred on Sunday morning, December 3, 2023, disrupting the religious gathering and sparking widespread alarm.
The explosion, which took place in a gymnasium on the university campus, caused panic among students and teachers, leaving victims bloodied and sprawled on the ground.
Regional military commander, Major General Gabriel Viray III confirmed the casualties, stating that at least three women were among those killed. The wounded were transported to two hospitals for treatment, mainly for minor injuries.
Taha Mandangan, the security chief of the state-run campus, described the incident as “clearly an act of terrorism,” emphasizing the indiscriminate nature of the bomb.
Masses on Sunday drew large crowds as it was the start of Advent, the Catholic Church’s four-week vigil to Christmas Day.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. condemned the attack, labeling it a “senseless and most heinous act” and attributing it to foreign terrorist involvement.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and military Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. echoed this sentiment, suggesting the possibility of foreign elements in the bombing. General Brawner also speculated that the explosion might be a retaliation by Muslim militants for recent military offensives against Dawlah Islamiyah, an armed group aligned with the Islamic State group.
Marawi City, located in Lanao del Sur province, which has a significant Muslim population, has a history of violence linked to Islamic militants. The city was the site of a five-month-long siege in 2017 by militants linked to the Islamic State group, resulting in over 1,000 deaths. Despite a peace agreement with the largest separatist group, smaller factions continue to launch violent attacks.
The blast set off heightened security measures throughout the Philippines, including in the capital city of Manila. Authorities implemented intensified intelligence gathering, and stricter inspections, and deployed bomb-sniffing dogs and sea marshals.
Presidential adviser, Carlito Galvez, a former military chief of staff, strongly condemned the incident, vowing that such attacks would not be tolerated.
Regional police director, Brigadier General Allan Nobleza also mentioned the potential connection of this attack to the recent killing of 11 suspected Islamic militants in a military operation in southern Maguindanao province.
As reported by Al Jazeera, ISIL (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the bombing.
