NEWS RELEASE - February 15, 2005
References: Connie Bragas-Regalado, Chairperson, 259-1145 & 0927-2157392
Vince Borneo, Information Officer, 0927-7968198

MIGRANTE: OFWs, families condemn bombings in Makati, Davao, GenSan; support call for government truce

Overseas Filipino workers and their families under the aegis of the Migrante Sectoral Party firmly condemned the series of bombings in the cities of Makati, Davao and General Santos that have killed at least 10 people and wounded 136 other civilians in different incidents last night.

"Our condemnation on the series of bombings is firm in the homeland in chapters abroad. We condole with families of the victims and the wounded who are all ordinary civilians. The authorities must arrest, subject to court proceedings and punish the perpetrators of this new wave of violence against ordinary people. In the same vein, the police and military should not repeat the baseless arrests of our Muslim brothers and sisters in Culiat, Taguig and Quiapo so that they may present 'suspect bombers' to the media," Connie Bragas-Regalado, Migrante Sectoral Party chairperson said.

Migrante called on the people "to be vigilant of the events that shall follow, especially moves of the Macapagal-Arroyo government," fearing that Malacanang would make this spate of violence a smokescreen to justify an all-out war in Mindanao."

"These incidents should not be used by the Macapagal-Arroyo government and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to intensify the current attacks in Sulu and Mindanao. Many civilians are now caught in the military hostilities wherein 100 have been killed and 7,000 persons were forced to evacuate Panamao and other towns in Sulu. Migrante supports calls to government to stop the indiscriminate bombings in Sulu push for a truce with the Moro National Liberation Front so no more civilians get hurt or killed," Bragas-Regalado said.

"The bombings in Makati, Davao and GenSan are not reasons to declare and all-out war in Sulu and the whole of Mindanao. If the AFP widens the war in Mindanao, more civilians will get caught in the crossfire, including millions of families and relatives of OFWs," Bragas-Regalado ended. #