FILIPINOS residing in the United States strongly condemned on Saturday the deadly bombing in Davao City that killed 14 innocent people and wounding 67 others Friday night and called on authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The US Pinoys for Real Change in the Philippines (USPRCP), a group of community advocates across the US, issued a statement denouncing the bombing “as a senseless act.”
USPRCP Convenor Co-Chairman Arnedo S. Valera, area lawyer and community leader based in the neighboring state of Virginia, said that USPRCP would hold a vigil rally on Sept. 11 in front of the Philippine embassy in Washington, DC to pray for the victims of the bomb blast.”
“At this point, we do not know who are behind this cowardly act. It appears that the enemies of peace are provoking and destabilizing the new government, and intending to politically embarrass the administration on the eve of President Duterte’s first and major overseas trip,” Valera said.
“The death and injury of innocent civilians is so tragic. We are praying for them and their families,” adding that the group is fully supporting “President Duterte’s agenda for change, and pray for him and the Philippines.”
The following is the full text of USPRCP’s statement:
“We condemn the bombing in the strongest possible terms.
The people behind this senseless act, which has resulted in the death and injury to innocent civilians, should be brought to justice. We join others in praying for the innocent victims and their families.
“We do not know at this point who are responsible for this cowardly act. But whether this evil act was perpetrated by terrorist groups or individuals, or drug lords and their cohorts threatened by the government’s total drug war policy, we should all be united in condemning this heinous crime as we call for peace, democracy, and the rule of law in our motherland.”
Other USPRCP leaders are: USPRCP Convenor Co-Chairman Elizabeth Babiera Valera, wife of lawyer Valera and a member of the Philippine Nurses Association in Metropolitan D.C. (PNAMDC) and who hails from Davao; Co-Convenor Mike Ocampo of Anchorage, Alaska, president of Boses ng Pinoy sa Amerika; Jun Teves of Carson, California; Dan Jimenez, Philippine Military Academy (PMA) graduate, of Washington, D.C.; Dr. Tablang Jimenez, and Conrad Martinez of Silver Spring, Maryland; and Pastor Guillermo Gucilatar, senior pastor of Seventh Day Adventist of Las Vegas, Nevada, Pastor Nick Jardin, Vancouver, Canada.