Philippine leader declares ‘state of lawlessness’ after bomb

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DAVAO, Philippines — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has declared a “state of lawlessness” after suspected Abu Sayyaf extremists detonated a bomb that killed 14 people and wounded about 70 in his southern hometown.

Duterte, who inspected the scene of Friday night’s attack at a night market in downtown Davao city, said his declaration did not amount to an imposition of martial law but would allow troops to be deployed in urban centres to back up the police in setting up checkpoints and increasing patrols.

An Abu Sayyaf spokesman, Abu Rami, claimed responsibility for the blast near the Jesuit-run Ateneo de Davao University and a five-star hotel, but Duterte said investigators are looking at other possible suspects, including drug syndicates, which he has targeted in a bloody crackdown.

The Associated Press

©2016 The Canadian Press