Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

Agence France-Presse

Karen De Guzman

ABS-CBN News

<p> A <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/27/doj-probes-explosion-near-compound-entrance-1124">homemade bomb detonated near the entrance of the Department of Justice compound</a> early on Monday, officials said, hours before a <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/27/suspected-ied-found-near-senate-1247">suspected unexploded device was found near the country&#x27;s Senate.</a></p><p>The explosion just after midnight, which resulted in no casualties, and the discovery of the second suspected bomb came hours before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was due to give an annual <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/27/solving-corruption-economic-woes-expected-to-shape-marcos-final-two-years-0600">State of the Nation Address.</a></p><p>National police chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr told reporters on Monday there was a &quot;big possibility or probability that the two (incidents) are related&quot;. </p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1253779103427624%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> </span></div><p>He said that, while police had contingency plans for &quot;bomb threats, actual bombings and other (things)... something got past us and exploded in front of the Department of Justice&quot;.</p><p>It was not immediately clear how large the early morning blast had been.</p><p>&quot;We are still investigating, so we cannot give you details on how massive or small the explosion was,&quot; Manila police spokesman Philipp Ines told AFP.</p><p>Images posted by Philippine media showed what appeared to be a vehicle windshield cracked by the blast and a small amount of debris. </p><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-1&amp;features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=2081585586134290916&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring&amp;sessionId=240c1a44351bcb030042b36e5a2fb88ea7a44603&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:550px;height:768px;display:block;flex-grow:1" data-tweet-id="2081585586134290916"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><p>Police said in one report that the device at the Senate had been spotted on a street abutting the building just before 8:30am (0030 GMT) by a tow truck driver, who alerted security staff.</p><p>Personnel trained in handling explosive ordnance removed material from the scene that included a blasting cap, clock and a jar containing a &quot;brown powder&quot; for testing.</p><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-2&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=2081575900731322642&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring&amp;sessionId=240c1a44351bcb030042b36e5a2fb88ea7a44603&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:550px;height:672px;display:block;flex-grow:1" data-tweet-id="2081575900731322642"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><p>Regional police spokeswoman Hazel Asilo declined to estimate the size of the explosion the device could have produced.</p><p>Marcos&#x27;s speech on Monday comes at a time of heightened political tensions, with Vice President Sara Duterte in the middle of an impeachment trial, while voters have also been roiled by a corruption scandal tied to bogus flood control projects. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>SONA SECURITY </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday defended the deployment of thousands of police officers for the SONA, saying there is no such thing as “overkill” when it comes to ensuring public safety.</p><p>“Kakaunti pa nga lang. We are 230,000 nationwide. We can utilize all these resources to ensure public safety as well as peace and order. There’s no such thing as overkill in ensuring peace and order and public safety,” Nartatez said.</p><p>“The more you bring in security forces, siguro mas secure. Ano ba mas maganda? Security or peace and order na konti, o maximum ang security?” he added.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F984306491319446%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>Ahead of the President’s address, Nartatez inspected key areas in Quezon City to check the readiness of police personnel deployed for the event.</p><p>Among the areas he visited were the People Power Monument and the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) command center, where representatives from different police districts and partner government agencies are monitoring the security situation.</p><p>The PNP chief also instructed police officers to thoroughly document protest activities, particularly incidents involving the burning of effigies, warning that such acts may violate the law.</p><p>“Lahat naman ng protest rally, lahat ng mga activities, we are documenting it. Picture states it all. How much more if we have video with voice or audio aside from eyewitness natin. Eyewitness is the mga pulis at mga kababayan natin, sila mismo ang magpapatunay,” Nartatez said. </p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1064170626080598%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>Asked if those caught burning effigies would be arrested on the spot, Nartatez said authorities would do so if circumstances permit.</p><p>“If we have enough time to arrest and or pwedeng i-arrest, then we can arrest,” he said.</p><p>Nartatez also said police hope they would not have to use water cannons against protesters, stressing that such measures would only be employed if demonstrators become violent.</p><p>“Sana hindi tayo umabot sa gano’n. Kaya lang tayo gagawa ng gano’n pagka-unruly na sila, nambabato, siyempre kailangan nating tabuyin. Pero ayaw din namin ng sakitan dahil pulis ang nasa front line. Ayaw din natin ng gulo,” he said.</p><p>Meanwhile, the PNP said it coordinated with the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) regarding its activities during the SONA.</p><p>Nartatez said INC members would gather inside their chapels, adding that coordination with the religious group is aimed at ensuring security and managing traffic while preventing individuals with malicious intent from infiltrating their activities.</p>

<p>A homemade bomb detonated near the entrance of the Department of Justice compound early on Monday, officials said, hours before a suspected unexploded device was found near the country's Senate. </p>

A homemade bomb detonated near the entrance of the Department of Justice compound early on Monday, officials said, hours before a suspected unexploded device was found near the country's Senate.

Explosion, 'suspected bomb' reported before Marcos SONA

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

BINI

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

Nation

Explosion, 'suspected bomb' reported before Marcos SONA

Agence France-Presse,

Karen De Guzman,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 27, 2026 01:28 PM PHT

|

Updated July 27, 2026 01:50 PM PHT

Read More:

Senate

DOJ

IED

explosion

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

Sign Up

I have read and agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.