Duterte blames bombing on drug feud

Philippines leader did not, however, substantiate claim

MANILA // Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte yesterday blamed a drug feud for a bombing that wounded at least 32 people at an amateur boxing match in the central Philippines.

Mr Duterte did not explain the basis for his suspicions, but he has led a violent campaign against illegal drugs since taking office in June.

More than 6,000 drug suspects have been killed and thousands more arrested, raising concerns of injustices and extrajudicial killings. Two of three mortar rounds were remotely set off by phone on Wednesday as people watched a boxing match in the town of Hilongos as part of its annual Catholic fiesta celebrations, said senior inspector Jenyzen Enciso, a provincial police spokeswoman.

At least 10 of those wounded in the attack in Leyte province were children, aged 7 to 15.

Citing a police assessment, the military said a drug sus- pect arrested by Hilongos policemen last October may have retaliated by carrying out the bombings.

Investigators were trying to determine the others who were responsible, the military said. Ms Enciso said police recovered a mortar cartridge and a mobile phone, which they suspect was used to detonate the homemade bombs.

Philippine forces have been placed on alert amid on-and-off offensives in the country’s south against Muslim militants, including Abu Sayyaf gunmen and armed sympathisers of ISIL who have targeted the capital, Ma- nila, and other urban centres. Communist guerrillas also have a presence in Leyte province, about 610 kilometres south-east of Manila, but there was no immediate indication that either they or Muslim militants were involved.

Mr Duterte, whose administration is holding peace talks with the communist rebels, said it was unlikely the Maoist guerrillas were involved.

“Overall, I would say it has nothing to do with the left or with the communists,” Mr Duterte said.