Zubiri calls for executive session to brief Senate on MSU-Marawi bombing

By: Charie Abarca - 1 year ago

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri has invited officials of several security agencies to an executive session to brief the upper chamber on the deadly Marawi bombing that claimed the lives of four individuals.

In his short manifestation delivered in a plenary session on Monday, Zubiri said his feelings are beyond words and that he is “just so heartbroken” about the terrorist attack.

“But we must do our job and soldier on. Therefore, I’d like to order the Senate secretary that on Wednesday we’ll have an executive session and invite the Department of National Defense, Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, National Security Agency, and National Intelligence Coordinating Agency to be with us [and] to brief the Senate on the situation,” said the Senate leader.

“We appeal to our people who are listening not to be afraid by this incident. We continue to do our daily lives and show them that we are not afraid and we will continue to stand up against violence,” he added.

Before his pronouncements, Zubiri appealed to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao government to help the administration in finding the perpetrators behind this deadly bombing.

“Tulungan niyo po ang ating gobyerno na hanapin itong mga balasubas, walang hiya at mga…. I can’t even say the words without being strict and off the record – na mga taong ito. Dapat hulihin itong mga ito at hanapin kung saan sila. If they are foreign in nature, mas mabuti. Utilize the Bureau of Immigration and all our assets and intelligence officers and make sure we apprehend these individuals immediately,” said Zubiri.

(Please help our government to find these brats, shameless and…. I can’t even say the words without being strict and off the record – these people. We must catch them and find out where they are. If they are foreign in nature, even better. Utilize the Bureau of Immigration and all our assets and intelligence officers and make sure we apprehend these individuals immediately.)

Apart from claiming the lives of four individuals, the Philippine National Police said the explosion likewise wounded 50 people.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Sunday vowed to bring “the perpetrators of this senseless act to justice.”