Finance chief confident Duterte admin will catch bombers

Finance Secretary and Davao City native Carlos “Sonny” G. Dominguez III has expressed confidence that President Rodrigo R. Duterte will be able to bring justice to the victims of last Friday night’s bombing in their hometown.

In a statement Saturday night, Dominguez said he was “confident that the military and police under the decisive leadership of President Duterte will bring the culprits behind the Davao City market bombing to justice and ensure peace and order in the entire country.”

Dominguez, who also leads the Duterte administration’s economic team, likewise condemned the bombing at the Roxas Night Market which, based on reports as of Saturday, resulted in 14 deaths as well as over 60 people injured.

READ: 14 dead, 67 hurt in Davao blast—police

“I am deeply saddened by this bombing and strongly condemn what can only be described as an act of terror. We extend our deepest condolences to my fellow Davaoeños who lost their loved ones in this tragedy,” Dominguez said.

“We are confident that our security forces under the leadership of President Duterte as Commander-in-Chief will be able to bring the culprits to justice, swiftly restore peace and order to the nation and guarantee the safety of the public,” the finance chief added.

Dominguez’s Marco Polo Hotel in Davao City is just a stone’s throw away from the Roxas Night Market.

In a recent speech before senators, Dominguez said keeping peace and order is seen as boosting the Duterte administration’s aim to sustain economic growth, reduce poverty and attract more investors.

“President Duterte was elec­­­­ted to office with a clear mandate for real change. The mandate includes restoring order and reorienting government to serve the people. It includes transforming our economy to be truly inclusive by improving infrastructure and social services. It includes some intangible things as well, such as public faith in our leaders and a sense of security on our streets,” Dominguez had said.

“At the end of this term, this administration envisions a country at peace with its neighbors and free from the threat of armed rebels and organized crime. We envision a country where the poverty rate is brought down from 26 percent to 17 percent through investments that create meaningful jobs, along with an economic strategy that lifts lagging regions into the mainstream,” according to Dominguez. JE/rga