MANILA, Philipines — Security lapses may have been committed on the day of the Jolo cathedral twin bombings that left more than 20 persons dead and dozens others injured, Malacañang said Monday.
While authorities are still investigating the incident, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said it was reasonable to conclude that there were shortcomings on the part of troops securing the area.
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"We will have to investigate how it happened. There may be some lapses in security. How they were able to put there — is that a motorcycle with a bomb — despite the fact that there were soldiers securing the place," Panelo said in a press briefing.
"There is no other conclusion to reach. If you have security there and there is one or two bombs being placed inside, then there must be a lapse in security. There is no other reasonable conclusion," he added.
Panelo said the incident, which happened despite the implementation of martial law and the deployment of additional troops in Sulu, should prod government forces to impose tighter security measures.
"You should be more strict in your security measure. Like that motorcycle, if you inspected that motorcycle before it got into that area, then there would have been no bombing," the presidential spokesman said.
Asked whether security forces in Sulu were accountable for the explosions, Panelo replied: "We will have to investigate. Mine is just a reasonable conclusion derived from the circumstances surrounding the bombing."
Sulu and the rest of Mindanao have been under martial law since May 23, 2017, as government forces continue to run after jihadists and other armed groups believed to have ties with foreign terrorists.
To counter the threats posed by extremists groups, President Rodrigo Duterte created the 11th Infantry Division in Sulu which led to the deployment of more than 800 soldiers to the province.
Palace: Duterte angered by the bombing
Panelo said Duterte was "outraged" and "disappointed" over the bombings and has ordered government troops to ensure that such incidents would not happen again.
"Of course, he was so angry for one. For another, he is so disappointed that despite the movement to thread the path towards peace and development, there are still certain forces in that region who sowed terror and killed and murdered people," Panelo said.
Panelo said Duterte has instructed the military "to secure the safety of the citizenry" and "to attend to the injured and to provide succor to the families of the victims."
He declined to comment on claims the bombings had something to do with the Bangsamoro Organic Law, which was rejected by Sulu residents during a plebiscite last January. 21. The measure will replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao with a new Bangsamoro region with greater economic and political powers.
"He will wait for the investigation. Of course, one Islamic State is claiming responsibility. I read it in one of the briefers, that one terrorist group is claiming responsibility for that. But we have to await for the investigation," Panelo said.
Panelo also said it would be unfair to accuse Moro National Liberation Front founder Nur Misuari of plotting the bombing without proof.
"We cannot enter into the realm of speculation. It could be unfair and not good to be speculating. I know that Nur Misuari wants federalism better than BOL but he didn’t oppose it actively. In fact, he was non-committal with respect to the plebiscite," he added.
'More reasons to impose martial law'
Panelo claimed the bombings in Jolo are "isolated" incidents and maintained that the martial law being implemented in Mindanao has been effective in curbing threats.
"They (critics) are saying that despite martial law, there has been bombing and therefore martial law should be lifted. With more reason, martial law should be in place because if you can do that under a martial law regime, then the more reason you should maintain it and be more strict in the implementation of security measures," he said
"The fact alone that there is only one incident of bombing for the last...how many, one year plus? That means martial is effective. Can you imagine how
many bombings there would have been if there was no martial law there in operation?"
When reminded that an explosion rocked Cotabato City last December 31, Panelo said the bombings were "little" compared to the "chaos" that would have ensued in the south without the military rule. At least two people died and 35 others were hurt during the Cotabato explosion.
"If there was no martial law there, then there would have been chaos and anarchy there. You see how they were able to get Marawi? There was no martial law then," Panelo said, referring to the occupation of Marawi by local terrorists in 2017.
Panelo downplayed the recent bombings in Mindanao, saying untoward incidents happen even in powerful countries like the United States.