Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 5) — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday said there is no need to place Marawi City under military control after the deadly bombing on Dec. 3.
“There’s no need because your security forces are on top of the situation,” AFP chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner told CNN Philippines’ The Source.
Sunday’s blast tore through a Catholic mass at the Dimaporo Gymnasium in Mindanao State University (MSU), killing four people and injuring at least 46 others.
Brawner said school officials have asked the temporary assistance of the AFP and the Philippine National Police to secure the campus.
Brawner said the incident was possibly a retaliatory attack following the AFP’s successful neutralization of local terrorist groups. This includes the operation on Dec. 1 against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters operating in Maguindanao and another on Dec. 2 that killed Abu Sayyaf Group leader Mudzrimar Sawadjaan, who was responsible for the 2019 Jolo Cathedral bombing that killed 20 people.
While the AFP expected the retaliation, Brawner maintained there was no intelligence failure since they were able to warn security forces, as well as local government units. There could have been a failure of security since there should have been more measures implemented that prevented the entry of the bomber, he noted.
Brawner said the terrorists will unlikely be able to launch an attack similar to the magnitude of the Marawi siege in 2017 since they have dwindled in number.
He urged residents of Marawi to remain vigilant. He also encouraged students of MSU to return to school, assuring them that their campus is safe.
