Palace official: Broad intel reports prompted Duterte declaration prior to Davao blast

Palace official: Broad intel reports prompted Duterte declaration prior to Davao blast


A Malacañang official on Monday dismissed conspiracy theories and explained that broad intelligence reports may have compelled President Rodrigo Duterte to draft a proclamation of state of lawless violence even prior to the Davao City blast on Friday night.

“Due to the broad intelligence reports submitted to the President, received by the President of various potential possible incidents, the President may have talked or discussed with chief presidential legal counsel [Salvador] Panelo regarding the drafting,” Assistant Secretary for Policy and Legislative Affairs of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Christian Ablan said in a press briefing in Malacañang.

“To insinuate there was a preparation for a proclamation specifically for the—that is just a conspiracy theory. Since he assumed presidency, the President has been receiving intel reports,” he further stressed.

The statement came after Panelo revealed that the Davao City blast, which killed 14 people and injured 70 others, was not Duterte’s sole reason for the declaration of state of lawless violence.

"Hindi 'yan nag-trigger. Actually, nasa planning stage na 'yan [declaration]. In fact, nagda-draft na nga kami ng proclamation eh," Panelo said.

The lawyer added that four conditions prompted Duterte to issue the proclamation: the government's campaign against illegal drugs, criminality, terrorism, and the offensive against the Abu Sayyaf Group.

Meanwhile, the proclamation of state of lawless violence is set to be signed by the President before he heads to Vientiane, Laos for the ASEAN Summit on Monday afternoon. —ALG, GMA News