At least 14 people were killed and 71 others injured in a blast that took place at the Roxas night market in the city of Davao in Philippines, following which President Rodrigo Duterte declared a "state of lawlessness" in the country.
The explosion took place around 10 p.m. local time on Friday at the Roxas night market near Ateneo de Davao University, Chief Inspector Catherine Dela Rey, spokeswoman for Davao City Police, told reporters.
Duterte was on a weekend visit to Davao, his hometown, when the explosion took place. However, he was not at the site where the blast happened.
"I must declare a state of lawless violence in this country, it's not martial law until it's a threat against the people and against the nation... I have this duty to protect this country," Duterte told reporters, adding that he had not suspended the writ of habeas corpus.
The Philippines Constitution gives the president charge of all armed forces and states, so that, when necessary, he "may call out such armed forces to prevent or suppress lawless violence, invasion or rebellion."
He added that the blast was an act of terrorism and directed the police authorities as well as the military to search cars and frisk people at checkpoints, the Philippines News Agency (PNA) reported.
"We have to confront the ugly head of terrorism...We will take this as a police matter about terrorism," Duterte told reporters at the site of the blast.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet and the police have not disclosed any findings from their investigation, which is still underway. However, Presidential Spokesman Martin Andanar said that investigators had found components of a suspected improved explosive device at the site of the blast, CNN reported.
Duterte revealed that there were leads on who could have possibly been behind the blast and that the investigators were looking into it. However, he did not confirm if the explosion was linked to rebel group Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) even though the group had warned that they would hold retaliatory actions in Mindanao.
The president did not deny that the blast could also be the work of drug syndicates, PNA reported.
The blast comes as Duterte wages war drugs kingpins, street dealers, Islamist rebels and corrupt bureaucrats.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer's "Kill List" has recorded 832 deaths since Duterte assumed office on June 30. According to the police, at least 239 drug suspects were killed within three weeks of Duterte's inauguration. The list is considered one of the most accurate records of the killings of suspected drug dealers by the police and vigilantes.
The White House in the U.S. expressed condolences to the families of victims and offered assistance, Reuters reported.
