THE second bomb attack in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat, that killed two people and hurt at least a dozen others on Sunday night made Misamis Oriental officials a bit edgy barely a month before they host a big gathering of tourism officers in the country.
Misamis Oriental Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano yesterday said he was waiting for provincial tourism officer Jeffrey Saclot to submit a report about how the bombings in Isulan town could impact on tourism in the province, and if would have any effect on the scheduled national convention of the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (Atop) a few weeks from now.
The Atop convention, that would be hosted by the capitol, is seen to gather over a thousand tourism officers from all over the country on Oct. 1 until Oct. 7, according to Emano.
Emano said he was also waiting a report from Department of Tourism regional director Marie Elaine Unchuan.
“We are monitoring [the situation],” Emano said.
Vice Gov. Jose Mari Pelaez said he was worried because “anything that happens in Mindanao affects Misamis Oriental and Cagayan de Oro.”
Pelaez said, “In the eyes of investors and tourists, there is chaos in the whole island.”
This, he said, would greatly impact on the province’s and the city’s eceonomic growth and development.
Pelaez and Cagayan de Oro Mayor Oscar Moreno condemned the bomb attacks in Isulan, the last of which was carried out on Sunday.
The Sunday attack killed two young people and injured at least 12 others, reported Mindanews.
In a statement, Moreno called the Sunday bombing as “another painful and condemnable tragedy.”
Moreno added: “The series of bombings are obviously meant to break the hearts of Mindanaoans, so that we will cower in fear. The shameless and heartless terrorists should never succeed. We should all be undaunted, and I pray that we will all gather enough courage and a brave heart to stand tall and firm in the midst of these challenges.”
He called on Mindanaoans to unite and support authorities in ensuring peace and order.
Pelaez said, “We urge the public to be more vigilant, and we urge the police and military to implement measures to protect our citizens.”
The latest powerful explosion in Isulan came five days after a deadly blast on a night market killed three people and wounded 36 others this Aug. 28 as the locality was in a festive mood for its foundation celebrations.
In a report, Mindanews quoted Supt. Aldrin Gonzales, spokesperson of the police in Region 12, as saying that the latest bomb attack at around 7:28 pm on Sunday ripped an internet café victimizing mostly young people who were either doing research or playing online games.
Police said the attack was the handiwork of terrorists, and the local government cancelled classes on all levels yesterday to allow the police and the military to focus their efforts in investigating the deadly explosion, said Isulan Mayor Marites Pallasigue.
One of the victims was identified as 18-year-old Jun Mark Luda who was declared on arrival at a local hospital.
Luda was an engineering student at the Sultan Kudarat State University, and those who knew him described the victim as an “active, jolly, industrious and polite young man.”
His cousin, Marialyn Luda, 15, died yesterday morning, police said. (Herbie Gomez with reports from Bong Sarmiento of Mindanews)
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