Singapore condemns 'heinous attack' at Catholic mass in the Philippines
Law enforcement officers investigate the scene of an explosion that occurred during a Catholic mass in a gymnasium at Mindanao State University in Marawi, Philippines, Dec 3, 2023. (Photo: Lanao Del Sur Provincial Government/Handout via Reuters)
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SINGAPORE: Singapore on Wednesday (Dec 6) strongly condemned the "heinous attack" during a Catholic mass in the Philippines.
Four people were killed and 50 were wounded on Sunday after a bomb exploded during a Catholic mass at the Mindanao State University gym in Marawi, the Philippines' largest Muslim city.
Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said the bombing resulted in the "tragic loss of lives and injuries".
"We extend our condolences to the bereaved families and stand in solidarity with the Philippine government," said MFA.
"This heinous attack serves as a stark reminder of the threat that terrorism continues to pose to all countries."
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the bombing, which Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos blamed on "foreign terrorists".
Related:
Philippine police on Wednesday named two Filipino members of a pro-Islamic State militant group as suspects in the bombing.
The two suspects - Kadapi Mimbesa and Arsani Membisa - belonged to the Dawlah Islamiyah-Maute group, police regional director Brigadier General Allan Nobleza told a news conference.
A third man, still unidentified, acted as a lookout for the attackers, Nobleza said.
"We are mobilising all our resources to ensure that the perpetrators are put behind bars so they can answer the crimes that they have committed," Nobleza told reporters.
Maute was one of the pro-Islamic State groups that held Marawi under siege in 2017. The Philippine military wrested back the ruined city after a five-month battle that claimed more than 1,000 lives.
