Has there ever before been a world war that raged on while everyone in authority denied that it was happening?

“Philippines blast: 3 sought in deadly bombing, Islamists suspected,” by Tim Hume and Maria Ressa, CNN, September 3, 2016:

(CNN)Police in the Philippines are looking for three people they want to question — one man and two women — in connection with the blast at a crowded market in Davao City that killed 14 people Friday night.

Philippines National Police Chief Ronald dela Rosa told CNN Saturday the blast was caused by an improvised explosive device made of mortar rounds — which pointed to extremist groups being behind the deadly explosion.

Dela Rosa told reporters at a news conference in the southern Philippines city Saturday evening that authorities had eight witnesses, and a sketch of one suspect.

Sixty-eight people were injured in the explosion at the crowded night market in President Rodrigo Duterte’s hometown, Dela Rosa said. Fifteen of the injured are in critical condition, CNN Philippines reported, citing Southern Philippines Medical Center director Leopoldo Vega.

Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte — the President’s son — said the city had received a bomb threat two days before the blast, CNN affiliate ABS-CBN reported.

On Saturday morning, during a visit to the blast site, Duterte told reporters that Islamist militants could be responsible.

“We are not new to this kind. It is always connected with the Abu Sayyaf or in Central Mindanao,” he said, according to a statement from his office.

“But this is not the first time that Davao City has been sacrificed in the altar of violence.”

He said he had warned the public that there could be blowback from intensified government military operations against the pro-ISIS Islamist group Abu Sayyaf in Sulu province, where 8,000 troops deployed in recent weeks.

“We have always been ready for this. I warned, I remember warning everybody that there could be a reprisal because of the pressure there in Sulu which is going on,” Duterte said….