| Letter
to the Editor - February 16, 2005
References: Connie Bragas-Regalado, Chairperson,
259-1145 & 0927-2157392
OFWs,
families condemn bombings in Makati, Davao, GenSan; support call
for end to government strikes in Mindanao
Overseas
Filipino workers and their families under the aegis of the Migrante
Sectoral Party firmly condemn 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
February 14, 2005.
Our condemnation
on the series of bombings is firm in the homeland and 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.
We call
on the people to be vigilant of the events that shall follow, especially
the moves of the Macapagal-Arroyo government. We fear that Malacanang
will make this spate of violence a justification to push 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 at least 100 have been killed and 22,000 persons were forced
to evacuate Sulu.
Migrante
supports calls for 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.
Again, the
bombings in Makati, Davao and GenSan are not reasons for the Macapagal-Arroyo
administration to declare an 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. #
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