President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday visited soldiers who were wounded after a series of blasts rocked Central Mindanao on Sunday.
Photos released by Malacañang showed Duterte checking the condition of the soldiers wounded in action at the Camp Siongco Station Hospital in Maguindanao.
His visit took place after he led the distribution of the certificates of land ownership award to qualified agrarian reform beneficiaries coming from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
The President conferred the Order of Lapu-Lapu Rank of Kampilan on the soldiers.
The Order of Lapu-Lapu is given to those “deserving of merit and recognition and to fully express the President’s appreciation of the Filipino people’s contributions to the success of the campaigns and the programs of the government.”
He also extended assistance to their families.
At least 23 people, including nine soldiers, were wounded in the series of explosions, nine days before martial law in Mindanao expires on Dec. 31.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo earlier condemned the attacks, saying the government would pursue the perpetrators and “crush all evil forces or enemies of the state, as well as their supporters.”
“Any attempt to sow fear, hatred and violence is doomed to fail,” Panelo said.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines suspected the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, a splinter group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, to be behind the attacks.
The MILF is now in power in the newly-established BARMM, which replaces the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao following the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law.
Despite the explosions, the Philippine National Police said it will not recommend an extension of martial law in Mindanao.
Earlier, Duterte said he was willing to allow the BARMM to have its armed forces to “kill terrorists” who threatened the region’s development.
“To be honest, when you are already evolved into something regional and you have your own armed forces or police, I will agree to let you bear arms. But you know you have to kill the terrorists,” he said in Cotabato City.
Panelo later clarified that the BARMM used to have a security force overseen by the AFP and the PNP.
Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Tuesday said he expects the National Bureau of Investigation to submit a preliminary report on their investigation into the Mindanao bombings next week or before New Year’s Day.
Guevarra made the statement after he dispatched the NBI on Monday to immediately conduct its investigation into the series of bombings in Cotabato, North Cotabato and in Mindanao last Dec. 22.
At least 23 people were wounded from the blasts.
Guevarra said NBI field agents began their preliminary work shortly after the bomb attacks. With PNA
READ: Bombing douses revelry of New Year’s Day
READ: Blast rocks military camp in Sulu; 5 dead, 9 injured