Duterte peace adviser calls for restraint after killing of 9 in Cotabato gun attack
MANILA, Philippines—Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. called for sobriety and restraint on Monday (Aug. 31), in the wake of the killing of nine civilians in a gun attack in Kabacan, Cotabato over the weekend.
Unidentified gunmen opened fire on motorcycle riders near the University of Southern Mindanao in the afternoon of Saturday (Aug. 29), which instantly killed eight people. One, who was critically injured, later died.
Galvez assured that the government will “leave no stone unturned to bring the perpetrators of these dastardly acts to justice.”
He said in a statement that mechanisms are in place, like the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities and Ad Hoc Joint Action Group which are “now closely coordinating with authorities” in investigating the attack.
Galvez described the shooting of civilians as a “barbaric attack,” which he said displayed “the great lengths these lawless elements will go through to sow fear, anger and discord among the people.”
“We believe that no person in the right frame of mind would carry out such a crime against humanity, more so, to take away precious, innocent lives,” he said.
