Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros strongly condemned on Tuesday the reported bombing in Lamitan, Basilan that resulted in the killing of 11 people.
“I mourn with the people of Mindanao over this horrifying attack. I express my deepest condolences to the families of the victims and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for their terrible loss, and wish the injured their full and speedy recovery,” Hontiveros said in a statement.
She called on authorities to immediately conduct an investigation and to bring to justice all those responsible for this “despicable and cowardly act.”
“The administration must secure the peace in the region. It must see to it that this incident will not derail our efforts to achieve peace and prosperity in the region, especially with the passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL),” said the senator.
The law that would establish the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao was just recently signed by President Rodrigo Duterte.
READ: Duterte signs Bangsamoro Organic Law
“I stand with the people of Mindanao at this critical time. I join them in condemning this kind of violent extremism,” Hontiveros added.
Senator Panfilo Lacson, meanwhile, hopes that this incident would prod the government to step up its intelligence and security capabilities to address this “new deadly threat.”
Lacson, a former police chief, noted that the Lamitan incident was the “first known suicide bombing” in the Philippines.
“Proactive offense is still our best defense, prompted by good intelligence,” he wrote on Twitter. /je