FRACTUREBREAK,
Governor condemns ‘violent bombing’ at Mindanao State University.
An explosion at a university sports hall in the southern Philippines killed three people and injured nine others, according to local authorities.
The explosion rocked a Catholic church service at Mindanao State University in Marawi City on Sunday.
Governor Mamintal Alonto Adiong Jr. of Lanao del Sur province in Mindanao condemned the “violent bomb attack.”
“Here in my province, we uphold basic human rights, and that includes the right to religion,” Adiong said in a statement.
“Terrorist attacks on educational institutions [sic] must also be condemned because these are places that promote the culture of peace and shape our youth to be the future shapers of this country.”
Mindanao State University said it was “deeply saddened and appalled” by the attack and had suspended classes until further notice.
“We condemn this senseless and terrible act in the strongest possible terms and extend our deepest condolences to the victims and their families. We are committed to providing support and assistance to those affected by this tragedy,” the university said in a statement.
Governor Mamintal Alonto Adiong Jr. visits Amai Pakpak Medical Center to check on those injured in the blast [Provincial Government of Lanao Del Sur/Facebook]A witness who lived in a dorm near the gym told Al Jazeera he heard a loud bang that resembled the explosion of a power transformer.
The witness told Al Jazeera that he saw several police officers and ambulances stationed in the area of the incident on the university’s main campus.
Police said they were investigating the explosion and also believed it may have been carried out by Islamic State militants.
Mindanao has been plagued by violence for decades amid an insurgency by Islamic rebel groups.
In 2017, Marawi was the site of a five-month siege inspired by ISIL (ISIS) that killed more than 1,000 people.