DAVAO CITY — President Rodrigo Duterte is planning to visit the families of the victims of the gruesome August 24 bombings in Jolo, Sulu before going back to Manila.
Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go in an interview Friday said the President wants to personally express his condolences to the bereaved families and visit the soldiers.
He however, did not disclose the date of the planned visit.
Go said, he will accompany the President “To comfort the families of the victims and at the same time boost the moral of the soldiers in the province who lost their comrades during the bombings.
“Tuloy-tuloy po yung digmaan doon, giyera laban sa mga terorista kaya kailangan nating ipakita sa kanila na andyan lang gobyerno (The war against terrorism there continues, we need to show that the government is there for them) he said.
However, Go said, he sees no need to place Jolo, Sulu under Martial Law, as what some groups want, saying the Republic Act 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 is already existing.
“Last option na po ang Martial Law (Martial Law should be the last option),” he said.
The senator said the provisions stated in the Anti-Terrorism Act should be used to clamp down the terrorist groups who continues to sow violence in the country.
At least 15 persons, including seven soldiers, were killed while 77 others were hurt after two explosions hit the area.
Authorities believe that the first bomb was placed inside a parked motorcycle and the other was detonated by a “foreign-looking” female suicide bomber.-Armando B. Fenequito Jr.
