KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews/18 April) – A town mayor in North Cotabato has called on authorities to be serious in their campaign against those responsible in the latest bus bombing that killed three and injured 17 others.
Magpet Mayor Efren Pinol said that it is not enough to “just remind people to be vigilant against bombings.”
Instead, he said the police and other law enforcers in the province should run after the criminals, arrest them, and make them pay for the crimes they have committed.
On April 11, a powerful improvised explosive device (IED) placed at the rear portion of the Rural Transit Bus bound for Cagayan de Oro City went off, killing three passengers, two of them children from Pinol’s town in Magpet. They identified as Clyve Shen Himpiso, 11; and her 5-year-old brother Allan Jr.
Their father is still being treated at the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City.
They were headed towards Malaybalay City in Bukidnon for a needed vacation when the bomb went off, reports from the information office of the Magpet municipal government said.
The Himpiso siblings were children of Shirley Himpiso, a school teacher at the Datu Celo Elementary School in Barangay Datu Celo, Magpet.
“Two young lives from Magpet were suddenly snuffed out because of the dastardly act of heartless criminals. There will no longer be happy and colorful memories of a well-spent summer break for these two innocent children. In fact, there will no longer be wonderful dreams of a bright future for them to reach, because all these have been selfishly snatched and prematurely ended by those who did the bombing,” said Pinol in a statement issued to media today.
Pinol said no cause nor belief – not even the desire for money – can justify these deeds.
He urged the public not to allow the criminals to remain bold, thinking they could “easily get away with their dastardly deeds.” (Malu Cadeliña Manar / MindaNews)
