Rescue workers carry a bag containing a dead body of victims of an explosion at a night market in Davao City in southern island of Mindanao early Saturday. (Manman Dejeto/AFP/Getty Images)
“Keep calm and promote love, justice, and peace.”
The Davao Region Cluster of the Philippine Misereor Partnership, Inc., (PMPI-DRC), a local partner of a network of faith-based, non-government, academe, civil society, and people’s organizations call for peace for our country amid the fear caused by the recent bombings in Davao City, killing 14 and wounding 70 others, September 2.
PMPI-DRC member Emmanuel Roldan said in behalf of the cluster that the peace-building efforts of the government with the reds and the Bangsamoro groups might be affected by this acts of violence.
“This incident has no other ulterior motive but to sow terror on peace-loving innocent Christian settlers, Moro and Lumads in Mindanao in particular, and the country in general,” the statement read.
Roldan, also the Executive Director of LUNA Legal Resource Center for Women and Children, said that it is more important that as the security of the people are being prioritized, to not forget to promote the spirit of justice, peace and reconciliation.
“Let us not give in to our fear and respond to violence with violence in our hearts,” he said.
The DRC statement also shared that the network is standing strong in solidarity with the victims of the bombing and pray for those who are affected by the incident.
In a separate interview PMPI’s National Coordinator Yoly Esguerra said that bombing communities is inhumane, and calls on the current government to ensure that the perpetrators are punished, “but cautiously take a path that would not result to further violence.”
“Violence begets violence. We have yet to grieve for our fallen soldiers in Mindanao, and here comes another excruciating death of innocent civilians. There is no other way but a path to peace. War is not in our nature and will not give us anything but pain,” she said.
DRC also recounted the bombing incidents Davao City has experienced in the past, including the deadly incident after the Easter Sunday mass bombing at San Pedro Cathedral in1981; another Sunday mass bombing at the same place in 1993; and the successive bombings at the old airport terminal and Sasa wharf in 2003.
“Indeed this is a time of grief, and we solemnly pray for the repose of the souls of those who died and for early recovery of the injured. We also pray for the grieving families and those who are watching over their loved ones struggle to recovery that they remain steadfast in their faith, and find forgiveness in their hearts,” the statement said.
