Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa said the recent bombing at a gymnasium in Marawi City last Sunday morning might be a result of the authorities' failure to prepare against the reported security threats based on the intelligence.

"Lumabas na there's no failure of intelligence kasi may mga nauna nang balita patungkol sa balak nilang gagawin baka lang mayroon failure on pursuit of intelligence or a failure to perform security preparations based on the intelligence," Dela Rosa told reporters in a media interview on Thursday. 

Dela Rosa made the remarks a day after the Senate's executive session with the country's defense and armed forces officials on Wednesday, tackling the fatal bombing attack during a Catholic mass at a gymnasium inside the Mindanao State University Marawi main campus.

But he refused to divulge details of what they had discussed during the executive session. 

Dela Rosa earlier blamed the "failure of intelligence" on the attack resulting in the death of four people and injuring at least 50 individuals.

Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Romeo. Brawner Jr. earlier dismissed that there was a "failure of intelligence" instead he blamed the lack of security measures and complacency of authorities before the bombing incident.

"There should have been more security measures in place including the checking of bags, it should always be done, we must not be complacent. Let's not, really, be complacent because anything can happen," Brawner said.
 
Meanwhile, Dela Rosa emphasized that security forces' will suffer being defenseless once they "neglect to act" on the intelligence report.

"Kasi kahit may intelligence [report] tapos sasabihin mo "aaah wala iyan"—binalewala mo yung intelligence report at wala kang ginawang aksyon then sigurado pagdating sa atake—you will be defenseless, hindi ka handa," Dela Rosa lamented. 

Dela Rosa said the upper chamber is planning to investigate the bombing incident in Marawi City, which was primarily referred to the Committee on Defense and Security and secondarily to the Committee on the Public Order, which he chaired. 

The schedule of the hearing is yet to be set, he noted.