STANDARD EDITORIAL: A COWARDLY ATTACK
MANILA, JANUARY 27, 2011 (STANDARD) WE still do not know who planted the bomb on a public utility bus that exploded Tuesday on Edsa and Buendia in Makati that killed four people and injured at least 13 more.
Police investigating the case are still determining what kind of explosive device was involved and who might have been behind the attack.
The police and the Palace believe, however, that the attack was aimed at sowing terror among the people.
The bases for such a conclusion are clear. The attack was launched in broad daylight, right on the doorstep of the country's financial district. It also targeted Metro Manila's public transport system, a brutal reminder that nobody is safe from a terrorist strike.
Significantly, the attack mirrors the one launched on Feb. 14, 2005, just one block from the scene of Tuesday's crime. The Abu Sayyaf bandits claimed responsibility for that attack.
We offer our sympathies to the victims of Tuesday's bomb attack and condemn the cowardice of the terrorists who target innocent civilians.
Sadly, the attack comes amid a crime wave that has sapped public confidence in the police to keep them safe. The abduction, torture and killing of two car dealers are still fresh in the public memory, and not even the recent arrest of the alleged mastermind has allayed public safety fears. The latest bomb attack will no doubt exacerbate those fears.
The stakes are high. Our lives—and our economic well-being —are at risk if these crimes are allowed to continue. After all, a stable peace-and-order situation is a basic requirement for new investments.
Only the swift arrest and successful and credible prosecution of those guilty can begin to repair the damage that has already been done to public confidence. If the police leadership cannot accomplish this soon, perhaps it is time to appoint people who can get the job done.
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Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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