Thursday, November 15, 2007 Davao legislators recall experience in blast By Ben O. Tesiorna
SEVERAL Dabawenyo lawmakers were inside Batasan Pambansa when an explosion ripped through the south wing entrance on Tuesday evening.
Davao del Sur Rep. Marc Cagas said he was with South Cotabato Rep. Darlene Custodio and they were about to leave the building when the explosion happened.
"Our immediate reaction was to check on our fellow congressmen and our staff if everybody was okay," Cagas said.
Davao City 1st District Representative Prospero Nograles was already out of the building 30 minutes before the explosion. He said that when he heard of the incident he immediately went back to check on his colleagues.
Nograles said the incident would not affect their work. The House resumed session Wednesday despite the threat.
"We want to show that we can't be scared of terrorists and we are ready to sacrifice. We will just beef up security measures for the House and for ourselves too. Anyone can be a target now," Nograles said.
Interviewed by GMA television, Davao City Representative Isidro Ungab said he was already home in a condominium near the Batasan when he heard the explosion. He immediately coordinated with his staff to find out what was happening in the Batasan.
Davao del Norte Representative Anton Lagdameo was also out of the premises when the blast rocked Congress.
"I had just left and was on my way to a meeting, when 20 minutes after, someone informed me about the blast. I immediately checked on the safety of all my staff since I knew that some of them were still working at the time, and called to check other colleagues of mine. I feel relieved after knowing that everyone in my office was all right," Lagdameo said.
The congressman expressed grief over the incident especially for the "loss of a colleague, a friend, and a compatriot; the injury to two other representatives and the death of two employees."
"My greatest fear right now is that this senseless act will once again be laid at the foot of Mindanao and I call on all my fellow Mindanaoans sa paghangyo sa padayon sa pag-ampo para sa kalinaw sa atong nasud ug sa kaluwasan sa atong mga opisyales sa gobyerno. Hinaut pa unta dili na madungagan pa ang mga kadautan ug mga panghitabo sama niining pagbomba (I call on all Mindanaoans to continue to pray for national peace as well as the safety our government officials. I fervently hope that tragedies such as this will not happen again.), he said.
Gabriela Representative and Dabawenya Luzviminda Ilagan was however not as lucky as the others for she was hit by shrapnel from the bomb that was reportedly left on a parked motorcycle.
Ilagan was however declared out of danger by the doctors but her driver died from his injuries.
Basilan Rep. Wahab Akbar died a few hours after the explosion that also killed Marcial Tandoc, driver of Ilagan, and 30-year-old Maan Gale Bustalino, a member of the staff of Negros Oriental Representative Henry Teves. Teves was also wounded in the incident.
