DAVAO City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte addressed the national government to prioritize the safety and security of the Mindanao regions vulnerable to terrorism.
In his speech during the 21st commemoration of the 2003 Davao airport bombing incident at the old Davao Airport in Sasa, the city’s highest leader said that it is high time to give intensive attention to Mindanao areas vulnerable to violence and threats from terrorists.
“Pag-abot sa acts of terrorism man gud, lisod og walay gyuy laban ang mga inosenteng tao. Na point ko ni kay gusto nako manawagan sa gobyerno, sa national government nga tagaan og serious ang increasing activity sa mga regions nato diri sa Mindanao,” Duterte said on Monday, March 4, 2024.
(When it comes to acts of terrorism, it is difficult because innocent people chance against terrorists. I made this point because I want to call on the government, the national government to give serious attention to the increasing activity in our regions here in Mindanao).
He cited the recent terrorist attack during a Catholic Mass inside the Mindanao State University in Marawi (MSU-Marawi) that claimed four individuals last December 3, 2003, and the successive encounters of the military against the Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs) in some parts of Mindanao.
“Parehas atong sa MSU nato ug recently, naay engkwentro atoang mga sundalo ug nawad-an ta’g mga tropa. Mao ni ang atoang gina-agian nga gina-tolerate na sa daotang mga tao,” he said.
(Similar with the MSU and recently, our soldiers had an encounter and we lost troops. This is what we are going through that is being tolerated by our enemies.)
As promised, his administration vowed to extend continuous help and assistance to the families left by the victims of terrorism, such as the old Davao Airport bombing, which was an act of terrorism.
To recall, the incident, that transpired last March 4, 2003, killing at least 22 people while injuring more than 100 individuals, was suspected to be carried out by the Moro Islamic Federation Front (MILF). DEF
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