PNoy to bombers: Feel the full brunt of State's response

President Aquino warned the perpetrators of the recent bombings in Mindanao the arm of the law will eventually reach them.
Speaking during the 22nd Mindanao Business Conference, he said, "To those willing to partner with us for peace, we welcome you as brothers. But to those who want to challenge the authority of the state, you will feel the full brunt, might and strength of the state's response. You will not be in the way of peace that will help fulfill the potentials of Mindanao."
Aquino bared that challenges on the stability of peace and order exist, despite the gains of the ongoing peace process between government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and these were perpetrated by small groups of people desperate to disrupt the attainment of peace in Mindanao.
The recent blasts that hit the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Cotabato City and Midsayap, North Cotabato and other areas in Central Mindanao affected not only the immediate areas in Mindanao, but the rest of the country as well.
The President expressed sympathy to the families of the victims of the blasts.
During the press briefing, the President identified the Abu Sayyaf Group as one of the groups disrupting the peace and order in Mindanao.
He said government forces continue to conduct operations against this group, citing successes in the effort with the neutralization of Dr. Abu in 2012.
He disclosed rewards will be given to individuals who can provide information that will lead to the arrests of the perpetrators behind the bombings in Cagayan de Oro and Cotabato City.
Aquino said one of the angles being pursued is the possible involvement of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in the blasts to lessen the ongoing follow-up military operation against them.
"Mayroon tayong tinitingnang tatlong threat groups na tila nagsama-sama dahil may pagkadesperado para mahadlangan itong usaping pangkapayapaan. (There are threat groups which are aligning themselves because, to a large degree, their capacities have been diminished. We are looking at three loose groups that have banded together and are desperate to stop our peace process here in Mindanao)," Aquino said.
Aquino has tasked the security sector to continue hardening security.
In his assessment, he said terror groups exploit freedom and other rights guaranteed in the constitution like movement, assembly and the like.
These groups, the President said, had long been wanting to conduct terror attacks.
Aquino said that there are persistent reports that the terror groups want to hit Davao.
However, he observed, terrorists seem to evade Davao City attributing to the tight security and the good governance of the city government.
"It is a good deterrent. However, wherever we do target hardening, terror groups also look for other soft targets," Aquino said.
He appealed to the citizens to cooperate as force-multipliers of the security service by providing information in detecting suspicious individuals or activities.
Earlier, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte mulled of scrapping the Kadayawan Festival for security reasons. He gave the security sector up to August 13 to come up with a clearer picture of the security situation of the city.
"We will proceed with the festivities if the security forces with a rating of 7.5 in a scale of one to 10, can guarantee the safety of the residents and visitors," Duterte said.
He cited the primacy of the lives of the residents for the possible cancellation of the Kadayawan Festival. (PNA)

Last Modified: 2025-Jan-29 03:10