|
|
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
P500T reward offered for arrest of Valentine's Day bombers (10:58 a.m.)
* Malacanang, business sector condemn bombings
MANILA -- The government, through the PNP, will give a P500,000 reward for information that would lead to the capture of the perpetrators of the Valentine's Day bombings in Davao, General Santos and Makati cities.
This, as the Arroyo administration and businessmen condemned the bombings for victimizing innocent civilians.
PNP Chief Edgardo Aglipay said the reward will be taken from the police's intelligence fund as he announced that they have come up with a cartographic sketch of one of the Makati City bombers based on the description of the conductor of the RRCG bus where the bomb was placed and detonated.
Eleven people have died and more than 100 others were injured in the three blasts that happened several minutes after each other.
Security has been tightened in Metro Manila, particularly in public transport stations, seaports and airports as checkpoints are being conducted in entry and exit points in the metropolis.
National Capital Region Police Director Avelino Razon asked for the cooperation of the public and of public transport organizations in monitoring suspicious-looking persons.
Meanwhile, Press secretary and presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said in a radio station dzMM interview that the government "strongly condemns these attacks on innocent civilians. No person in the right mind will do such a thing to innocent bystanders."
"We share the grief of the relatives of those who were killed. The National Government, local government units and concerned parties must cooperate to ensure that help will be provided to those affected by this tragedy," he added.
Trade Secretary Cesar Purisima and Makati Business Club officer Guillermo Luz condemned the bombings but they believe that the incidents will not adversely affect the economy.
Even as they said this, trading at the country's stock exchange and the peso have fallen a bit due to security fears.
Luz said the effect of the bombings on the country's economy will largely depend on the government's response to the bombings. (Sunnex Luzon) |
|
|
|
