MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang remains unperturbed by the recent bomb attack in a bus terminal in Cotabato, stressing all the anti-terrorism measures are in place.
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda pointed out the bomb was planted outside the bus terminal, which only means the effort to bomb the terminal could not be possible because of the tight security in the area.
With these tight security measures in place, Lacierda said there is no reason for other countries to continue issuing adverse travel advisories and they should eventually lift them. Lacierda downplayed insinuations of a terror attack, saying the bus company had been the target of extortionists.
“It was the same bus company, Rural Bus Transit Co.; the Philippine National Police is looking at the bombing as an extortion in the same manner as the first one so this is an isolated incident,” Lacierda stressed.
Lacierda said the latest attack “will not affect our measures on tightening security.”
“We have provided ample security measures in the areas concerned. In fact, the travel advisory specifically mentioned Metro Manila, so we are still exercising all precautionary measures to safeguard the security of our citizens as well as foreign nationals,” he said.
Lacierda expressed optimism that the six countries that issued the travel advisories against the Philippines would reconsider. The United States, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Australia and New Zealand issued travel advisories warning their citizens against “imminent danger” of terror attack, particularly on Metro Manila.
“We hope so (reconsideration/lifting of travel advisories). In fact, the President spoke to some of them (during the APEC summit) and they promised to look into the issuance of their travel advisories,” Lacierda said.
President Aquino has given assurance the government is doing its best to protect the safety of Filipinos and foreign nationals, even if the Philippines was ranked seventh in the Terrorism Risk Index among countries.