MANILA, Philippines — There would be no mercy for the perpetrators of the bombings in Jolo, Malacañang said Sunday, as it vowed to "pursue to the ends of the earth" and crush what it called the "godless criminals" behind the incident.
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the Duterte administration condemns "in the strongest possible term" the bombing, which he called "an act of terrorism."
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"We will pursue to the ends of the earth the ruthless perpetrators behind this dastardly crime until every killer is brought to justice and put behind bars. The law will give them no mercy," Panelo said in a statement.
"By their act of terrorism and murder of soldiers and civilians, the enemies of the state have boldly challenged the capability of the government to secure the safety of the citizenry in that region. The armed forces of the Philippines will rise to the challenge and crush these godless criminals," he added.
Panelo said authorities are looking into the bombing, which happened days after Sulu province rejected the Bangsamoro Organic Law. The BOL will create a new Bangsamoro autonomous region that will have greater control of natural resources in parts of Mindanao and will enjoy a bigger share in national government resources.
"Authorities are now investigating these brazen attacks, which includes identifying the group behind the blast. We condole with the families of the victims that perished in this tragedy even as we attend to the injured and give succor to their families," the presidential spokesman said.