Documentary Report: Islamic state terrorist group claims responsibility for the deadly bombing at the MSU gym in Marawi city

Police and Military inspected the site of the bombing inside the MSU gym in Marawi City

 BY MAR SABATE, CSJ Reporter

MARAWI CITY, LANAO DEL SUR (Updated) - Islamic State militants claimed responsibility for deadly bombing at a Catholic mass in Marawi City on Sunday, 3 December 2023, that killed at least 4 people, and injured 46 others. The attack was carried out at the Mindanao State University (MSU) gymnasium in Marawi city, besieged by Islamist militants for 5 months in 2017. The Islamic group which wields influence in the south of the country, said on telegram stated that its members had detonated the bomb.

Earlier on Sunday at around 7:00 A.M. before Islamic State's claim, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. condemned the senseless and most heinous acts perpetrated by foreign terrorists. Police and military strengthened security in the country's south and around the capital Manila. 

In Rome, Pope Francis offered prayers for the victims during Sunday address and in a separate written message appealed to Christ the prince of peace to grant all the strength to turn from violence and overcome every evil with good.  

President Biden of the USA and Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu issued statements condemning the MSU gym bombing by the terrorists killing innocent civilians. 

DND Sec. Gilberto Teodoro

Law enforcement operations continued to bring to justice the perpetrators responsible of the terrorism  activity may continue unabated, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro told in a televised press conference on the same day after the bombing. There were strong indications of a foreign element in the bombing, Teodoro said, refusing to elaborate so as not to compromise ongoing investigation. 

Fragments of 60 millimeter mortar were found in the scene, senior police official, PGen Emmanuel Peralta told in a press conference. Peralta said preparation in Metro Manila was in heightened alert with additional police patrols, intelligence monitoring, and engaging with the Muslims community in Metro Manila, a holistic counter measures in National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

PGen Emmanuel Peralta

Peralta said that they created a Special investigation task group to focus on the bombing incident in MSU, Marawi City. This will be headed by Police Director BGen Allan Nobleza of PRO BAR, BARMM  to focus on the incident. Peralta also called all the Police Regional Directors in Mindanao to enhance crime prevention activities and coordinate closely with the Military.

The blast in Marawi, the Capital of Lanao del Sur province followed a series of military operations against local Pro-Islamic State groups in the Southern Philippines, the military Chief said. On Sunday in Lanao del Sur led to the killing of a leader of the Dawlah Islamiyah-Maute group (DI-MG). It is possible that what happened this morning was a retaliatory attack, Armed Forces Chief General Romeo Brawner said during the televised press conference. 

The Islamic State-link Maute seiged Marawi on May 2017, seeking to make it a Southeast Asia Wilayat or governorate for Islamic State. In the five month battle, Islamist fighters and Philippine forces killed, and more than a thousand people of innocent civilians died. 

Images shared by Lanao del Sur government on social media showed PNP and military officials surveying the gym at the Mindanao State University where the blast occurred. Videos posted in social media showed brother Muslims rescuers carrying injured people out of the gym with plastic chairs. Lana del Sur Governor Mamintal “Bombit” Adiong, Jr., said Freedom of religion is a right of every person. 

Police officers in Mindanao and the capital regions were placed on high alert intensified police checkpoints tightened to prevent another possible incident, Police Gen Peralta said. The coast guard directed its districts to intensify pre-departure inspections at ports. 

MSU System President, Atty. Basari D. Mapupuno, in an Official statement on 3 December 2023 said, he was deeply saddened and appalled by the act of violence that occurred during a religious gathering and said “we unequivocally condemn  in the strongest terms this senseless and horrific act.” Said Mapupuno. The University suspended its classes until further notice. 

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner, Jr. said in a televised press conference, said the bomb attack at the MSU gym in Marawi City could be a retaliatory attack by terrorist and extremist groups. Brawner said, the military launched successive offensives against the Islamic State (IS) linked Dawlah Islamiyah-Maute Group (DI-MG) which led to the neutralization of its ranking leaders. On December 1, Brawner said, that personnel of Joint Task Force (JTF) Central under Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) launched a military operation targeting Abdullah Sapal the newly designated emir or leader of the DI-MG in Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur. 

AFP Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner, Jr.

The mission led to the death of 11 members of DI-MG including Sapal, Brawner said. This was followed another military operation by WestMinCom's JTF Orion against Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) leader Mudzimar Sawajaan also known as Mundi, a notorious bomb maker, in Basilan on December 2, 2023, died in the operation. Sawajaan was pinpointed as brains behind the Jolo Cathedral bombings in Sulu in 2019 which killed 20 people and injured 102 others. 

Prior to the 7:00 am bombing at the MSU, Brawner said the WestMinCom's 103^rd battalion also encountered DI-MG in Piagapo, Lanao del Sur at around 1:00 AM which led to the death of Alandoni Macadaya Luksadatu alias "Lando" or "Abu Shams," the group's sub leader and the capture of his aunt, Saadia Dato Angni. "Maaaring retaliatory attack yung nangyari kaninang umaga, that is one of the angles that we are looking into" said Brawner.   

The AFP Chief alerted all of the military units in Mindanao as well as in Metro Manila to avoid an overspill of violence. "We are continuously gathering intelligence so that we will be able to run after the perpetrators of this terroristic attack," Brawner finally said. 

In another development, the Philippine National Police (PNP) have already identified at least 2 suspects in the bombing of a Catholic Mass at MSU gym in Marawi City that killed 4 people, a Regional Police Chief said on Monday, vowing to hunt down those behind the blast, which claimed by Islamic State militants. 

The bomb went off on Sunday morning during a Catholic mass at the MSU gymnasium in Marawi City. "We have persons of interest, but the investigation is still going on. In order not to preempt the investigation, we will not divulge the names," said Regional Police Chief Brig.Gen. Allan Nobleza, adding that one of the suspects was linked to a local militant group. 

The United States condemn the "horrific attack" and said it stood with Filipinos in rejecting violence, joining a chorus of support from countries that include Japan, Australia, Britain, China and Canada. 

"We mourn those killed in the attack, and our thoughts are with the injured," State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement. Islamic State militants claimed responsibility for Sunday's bombing at Mindanao State University (MSU) shortly after Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said foreign terrorists were responsible of the bombings. 

The military recently said it had killed senior operative from Abu Sayyaf, a group notorious for kidnapping and piracy that has aligned itself with Islamic State. 

The late Abu Sayyaf leader, Isnilon Hapilon, was Islamic State anointed "emir" in Southeast Asia and mastermind of the 2017 of Marawi sieged, which led to the deaths to at least a thousand people during a five month war. Among them were fighters from multiple countries. Hapilon was killed by a sniper. 

MSU students survivors from blast

The military said it had also conducted 3 operations in Mindanao on Friday, Saturday and Sunday against DI-MG, a group that joined Hapilon in taking over Marawi in 2017, seeking to turn it into a Southeast Asia "Wilayat" or governorate for Islamic State. 

Xerxes Trinidad, a spokesperson for the military said, it was aware of Islamic State's claim responsibility and was trying to validate it. Of the 54 who were wounded in the bombing, Trinidad said only seven remained in hospital. Classes resumed at the MSU in Marawi City on Monday, a week after the bombing incident, but with tighter security. 

"Though saddened by the explosion, we have to go back to normalcy and address this tragic incident," Marawi Mayor Majul Gandamra said to DWPM radio station. 

The Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) pledged to give financial assistance to the surviving victims for medicines and burial assistance for the fatally victims. There were about 43 victims brought to Amai Pakpak Medical Center (APMC), the 39 patients were being discharge for good, there were 7 patients remain confined while the other 5 patients were undergoing surgery. 

In another development, there were four fatalities of the bombing, three of the victims were already claimed by their immediate families who were being stayed for their wake at the Capin funeral homes in Iligan City. The other one fatality was stayed at the St. Peter’s funeral homes awaiting the immediate family for a claim. All the fatalities were came from the places of Balabagan, Lanao del Sur, Tangub City, Davao City and Bohol that lately was already claimed by relatives at St. Peter's funeral homes in Iligan City.   

Emergency meeting with Acting Mayor Alemania

The local government of Iligan City conducted an emergency meeting on the same day after the MSU bombing incident, headed by Vice Mayor Marianito “Dodong” Alemania, Acting Mayor during this time, to evacuate temporarily the students from MSU Marawi City to Iligan City for their safety. After the meeting at around 2:00 P.M., Acting Mayor Alemania together with other officials, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) personnel, Military and PNP personnel, and other nearby Municipal LGUs, proceeded to Marawi City to transport the students from MSU campus in Marawi City to the MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) gymnasium in Iligan City, for their temporary stay for safety and security purposes.  

Acting Mayor Marianito "Dodong" Alemania

Based on the data provided by the Iligan City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD), at around 11:28 P.M. on the same day after bombing, there were 414 students evacuated for the first batch and another 144 students evacuated for the second batch and 85 individuals for the third batch, or a total of 643 students temporarily evacuated at the MSU-IIT gymnasium provided with food and non-food items. the evacuated students stayed at the MSU-IIT gymnasium for 2 nights on December 3 - 4 (Sunday and Monday), and on December 5,Tuesday, all the evacuated students were sent home in different places in Mindanao taken cared of by their respective LGUs.

Iligan City Mayor Frederick Siao

The LGU of Iligan City provided transportation Assistance, food and non-food items for the evacuated students during their stay temporarily at the MSU-IIT gymnasium in Iligan City.

Iligan City Mayor Frederick Siao conducted a dialogue meeting the following day after the bombing incident with the Muslims religious leaders in Iligan City, to help and make Iligan city a peaceful place to live on despite diverse cultures. The Muslims religious leaders pledge their support to Mayor Siao for the peace efforts of the local government in achieving peace in Iligan City.

Students ready to depart in their respective places

The bombing incident was happened in coincidence with the twin celebrations of Peace, the Mindanao Week of Peace (MWOP), every last Thursday of November to first Wednesday of December, and Iligan City Week of Peace (ICWOP), every Last Wednesday of November to first Wednesday of December, of every year thereafter, respectively. (With reports by Jun Enriquez, Digital-Mobile Journalist; Hermie Arcilla, CSJ reporter; photo courtesy of FB pages of Mayor Siao and Vice Mayor Alemania, and other social media accounts)