ANGELES CITY -- The League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) has condemned the recent attack in Davao City where 14 people died and wounded 67 others.
"The League of Cities of the Philippines strongly condemns the terrorist attack on Davao's night market. We stand united in grief, outrage and resolve to defend not only the City of Davao but also all cities and, with the cooperation of the League of Provinces and League of Municipalities, all other areas of the country," stated a statement signed by Edgardo Pamintuan, LCP national president; Maria Laarni Lopez-Cayetano, LCP chairperson; and Francis Anthony Garcia, LCP secretary general.
The LCP officials added: “We join the entire nation in prayer for those whose lives were taken away senselessly and for families left behind grief stricken.”
“We extend our deepest sympathies to the victims' relatives and pray for the immediate recovery of those wounded and for the safety and well being of everyone in Davao and the whole nation,” the statement added.
The league also called on the Filipino people to support the government during this time of lawlessness.
“We call on our fellow kababayans to work on promoting peace and to defend our democracy against threats from extremist and other lawless elements,” it said.
President Rodrigo Duterte declared a nationwide “state of lawless violence” on Saturday following the explosion, which tore through what Davaoenos call their happy place.
The President visited the blast site at a night market along Roxas Avenue in Davao City.