President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. condemned the "senseless and heinous acts" carried out by foreign terrorists on the Mindanao State University and Marawi communities early Sunday morning.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter),on Sunday, Marcos vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice and pledged unwavering support to the victims.
"Extremists who wield violence against the innocent will always be regarded as enemies to our society," Marcos said.
"We mourn with the families who have lost loved ones, and we stand with the communities that have been shattered by this barbaric attack," he added.
The President expressed his deepest condolences to the victims and their families, commending the regional government of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and local authorities for their swift response in securing the affected areas and tending to the wounded.
Marcos said that he had already instructed the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to coordinate with local authorities to ensure the safety of civilians and prevent further violence, announcing the deployment of additional security forces to bolster the ongoing operations.
"As reports come in throughout the day, I enjoin all of us to remain calm, circumspect, and conscientious in our collective efforts to ensure that the horrific events of this morning are not further compounded by inaccurate, unvetted, and unofficial information," Marcos said.
"Rest assured we will bring the perpetrators of this ruthless act to justice," Marcos added.
MSU has suspended its classes until further notice. The school also sent in additional security to protect the campus. It was also closely collaborating with law enforcement and local government agencies to investigate this occurrence and apprehend those responsible.