MANILA – The Davao city government received intelligence reports of a planned bombing days before explosions hit two malls on Monday, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said. At a press conference today, Duterte said the police and military received threats and alerted the city government of the possible bombing two to three days before the blasts in SM City Davao and Gaisano cinemas. Duterte said the malls committed lapses in security. He said he will now require malls in the city to install high-definition closed-circuit television cameras to monitor possible criminal or terrorist activities. The explosion occurred at SM Davao Cinema-1, with the alleged bomb placed on a chair. Another explosion occurred at the Gaisano Cinema 5, with a suspected improvised explosive device also placed on a chair. The blast wrecked several chairs. The Gaisano blast sent 5 people to the hospital after they temporarily lost hearing because of the loud explosion. They were later discharged from the hospital. Police are investigating the incidents. Senior Superintendent Ronald Dela Rosa, Davao City Police director, said the motive behind the blasts have yet to be established. The perpetrators, likewise, were still unknown. – with a report from Hernel Tocmo, ABS-CBN News Davao
