At least four people were killed and 50 injured after a bomb exploded during a morning Catholic mass at a university gymnasium in Marawi - a city in the south of the country.
"I condemn in the strongest possible terms the senseless and most heinous acts perpetrated by foreign terrorists," said Mr Marcos.
"Extremists who wield violence against the innocent will always be regarded as enemies to our society." Law enforcement operations to bring to justice the perpetrators will "continue unabated", Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro told a press conference.
There were "strong indications of a foreign element" in the bombing, he said, refusing to elaborate so as not to compromise ongoing investigations.
Fragments of a 16mm mortar were recovered at the scene at Mindanao State University, senior police official Emmanuel Peralta told the press conference.
The blast in Marawi, capital of Lanao del Sur province, followed a series of military operations against local pro-Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) groups in the southern Philippines, the military chief said.
This included one on Dec 3 in Lanao del Sur that led to the killing of a leader of the Maute group.
"It is possible that what happened this morning was a retaliatory attack," armed forces chief Romeo Brawner told the press conference.
Denne historien er fra December 04, 2023-utgaven av The Straits Times.
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Denne historien er fra December 04, 2023-utgaven av The Straits Times.
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Response to retention of Siglap block shows everyday buildings have value
As to what to do with it now, one could look to Hong Kong's Mei Ho House for inspiration
Worker taken to hospital after falling 2.3m at RTS Link construction site
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Battered Florida begins long road to recovery after major hurricanes
Many still without power, water and sewage services; clearing of debris may take months
Famous red gate at Tokyo university in danger of collapsing
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Northern Lights animate night skies around the globe
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Remains of climber who went missing 100 years ago found on Everest
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From timber to tech Sibu's spotty transition to joining Sarawak's booming economy
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Two Singaporeans among six opera performers arrested in Penang
BUTTERWORTH, Penang - Six foreign opera actors, including two Singaporean women, were apprehended in Penang, Malaysia, for allegedly breaching their social visit passes by staging performances.
Woman in Russian tank factory sent to penal colony for selling info to Ukraine
MOSCOW - A woman who worked for a Russian tank factory was convicted of treason and sentenced to 12 1/2 years in a penal colony on Oct 11 for selling military information to Ukraine.
Malaysians capitalising on stronger ringgit to buy gadgets
GEORGE TOWN, Penang - With the ringgit on an upward trend, upgrading electronic gadgets seems to be on everyone's minds in Malaysia now.
