Mindanao: Quadruple fatalities in Philippine Catholic Mass blast
An explosion during a Catholic Mass in the southern Philippines on Sunday morning resulted in the death of four individuals.
The event took place at the sports center of Mindanao State University in Marawi, which is the biggest Islamic city in the nation.
Authorities reported that forty-two individuals sustained predominantly minor injuries and assured that the situation has been managed effectively.
In 2017, Marawi became the battleground for a conflict that lasted five months between the government military and radicals associated with the Islamic State group.
Brig Gen Allan Nobleza, the regional police chief, suggested that the Daulah Islamiyah-Maute Group may be responsible for the bombing that occurred on Sunday.
Gen Nobleza stated that 11 of its members were killed in a confrontation with the Philippine Army the previous Friday in the adjacent town of Datu Hoffer Ampatuan. This implies that the explosion that took place on Sunday could be seen as a counterattack.
According to the AFP news agency, the Islamic State group has accepted blame for the assault.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr denounced the explosion as an "illogical and extremely wicked" deed, carried out by international terrorists. He did not provide further details.
He urged the people to stay composed. "Be confident, we will ensure that the culprits behind this merciless deed are rightly punished," he declared.
Officials, referencing an initial investigation, suggested that the blast was probably caused by a grenade or a makeshift bomb.
Images posted on social media by local authorities depicted scattered plastic chairs and dark debris on the floor of the MSU gym following the explosion. Besides its floor, the structure seemed to have avoided significant damage.
Individuals who were taken to a local medical facility mostly received care for superficial injuries and contusions, as indicated by images. The regional leader, Mamintal Adiong Jr, stated that a significant number of the thirty-six injured individuals have been discharged.
Sunday gatherings in the Philippines saw an increased number of attendees due to the beginning of Advent, a month-long preparation period for Christmas Day observed by the Catholic Church.
Approximately 80% of the nation's 113 million inhabitants are followers of Catholicism, and it's not rare to see school sports halls and even shopping centers setting aside spaces for Sunday Mass, particularly in locations where churches are absent.
The MSU, among the nation's biggest educational institutions, expressed its deep sorrow and shock at the "pointless and terrifying" acts of violence.
There is absolutely no room for violence in a cultured society, especially within an esteemed educational institution such as MSU.
We unite in support with our Christian community and all those impacted by this heartbreaking event.
The university stated that more security personnel have been stationed on its grounds and all scholarly pursuits will be put on hold until they announce otherwise.
Mindanao harbors the nation's Muslim minority and has experienced the majority of insurgency and radical aggression.
In 2012, an agreement was reached between Manila and the biggest Muslim insurgent group in the country to create a self-governing area in Mindanao, with the inaugural elections for the regional assembly taking place in 2022. Yet, intermittent bouts of violence still occur occasionally.
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